Lando Norris voiced his fury at Franco Colapinto following a restart incident that ruined his race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren driver believes Colapinto's mistake warrants a harsh penalty, even calling for a one-race ban.
Incident on Lap 36 Restart
On the lap 36 restart on the streets of Baku, Colapinto locked up his cold front tyres and speared into his Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly at Turn 1. Norris, who was nearby, was also collected in the crash. As a result, all three drivers failed to finish, adding to Norris's frustration after a race where he had already struggled for pace.
Norris himself made a mistake at Turn 1 that dropped him into the pack. However, he insisted that the restart incident was purely Colapinto's fault. "I've not seen it. I just got taken out. I think the FIA should be stricter and start handing out bans for this kind of stuff," he fumed. "It's careless from people. It costs a lot of money; all my parts are in the bin now. People should just get banned, because that's not driving that deserves to be in Formula 1."
When asked if the slippery Baku circuit could be a mitigating factor, Norris dismissed it. "In Formula 1, I think you expect drivers to anticipate things. Grip is going to be low; tyre temps are low—they weren't even that low. In Formula 1, we want to be against the best drivers in the world, and when stuff like this happens, it's because [they] shouldn't be there," he said. "I've not seen it, but if you cause a crash in a restart like this, you should have at least a one-race ban."
Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto issued an apology. "A big mistake," he admitted. "I locked up completely with cold tyres and cold brakes and was out of control completely. Not a lot to say more than sorry to the team, to Pierre of course, to all the factory. We've been working really hard to score points and I threw it away with that big mistake. So, I'm very sad for the team. Of course it's a big disappointment. I'm sorry to Lando as well."
The incident is a major blow for McLaren, who had hoped Norris could secure a strong result in Baku. Norris's frustration also reflects the pressure he faces as reigning world champion. Meanwhile, Gasly and Alpine also lost valuable points opportunities. This incident has reignited discussions about penalty standards in F1, particularly regarding safety and driver professionalism.
As of now, the race stewards have not issued an official decision on the incident. However, Norris's call for a heavy penalty on Colapinto will be a talking point ahead of the next race. This case also echoes similar incidents in the past that resulted in race bans, such as Romain Grosjean's in 2012.
Read Also
Ferrari tanpa podium dalam 5 balapan, Vasseur tetap optimis karena lebih banyak poin dari McLaren. Simak analisis lengkapnya di sini.
Lando Norris menyerukan larangan balap F1 untuk Franco Colapinto setelah insiden di Grand Prix Azerbaijan yang menyingkirkan keduanya dan Pierre Gasly. Baca selengkapnya.
George Russell mengungkap masalah turbo yang nyaris menggagalkan kemenangannya di F1 Azerbaijan 2026. Duel sengit dengan Max Verstappen hingga finis.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!