Lando Norris has issued a public apology to Franco Colapinto after previously calling for a race ban for the Alpine driver following a collision at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku last Saturday.
The incident occurred during the first safety car restart. Colapinto, on the inside line, locked up under braking for Turn 1 and slammed into the side of Pierre Gasly. Norris, who was nearby, was caught up in the chain-reaction crash. As a result, all three drivers were unable to continue the race.
After the race, Norris made harsh comments, branding Colapinto as a "driver who shouldn't be in Formula 1" and urging the FIA to impose a race ban. These remarks sparked backlash from Argentine fans, forcing Alpine to issue a statement calling for calm.
In an Instagram post, Norris admitted his mistake. "Tough weekend overall in Baku and, of course, a disappointing and early end to the race," he wrote. "After the race, I sent Franco a message apologising for the comments I made that I simply should not have said. I know better and emotions were running high, but this is not an excuse. It was wrong of me."
Norris also emphasized that he and Colapinto have come to a good understanding. "Me and Franco came to a good understanding, are still good friends and are both excited to get back racing this weekend," he added. This statement reflects Norris's sportsmanship after facing criticism from various parties.
Meanwhile, Colapinto was given a 10-second time penalty by the FIA stewards. However, because he retired into the pits, this was later converted to a five-place grid penalty for this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The penalty remains in place even though Norris has retracted his call.
Several other drivers, including George Russell and Max Verstappen, defended Colapinto and felt Norris's calls for a race ban were too harsh. This support demonstrates solidarity among drivers in dealing with racing incidents that often occur on track.
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Lando Norris has apologised to Franco Colapinto over his emotional Azerbaijan GP comments, admitting his call for a race ban was wrong.
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