Norris calls for race ban for Colapinto after Azerbaijan collision

Lando Norris has called for Franco Colapinto to receive a one-race ban after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix collision that eliminated both Alpine drivers and the McLaren driver.

At the first Safety Car restart on lap 36, Colapinto misjudged his braking into the first corner. Carrying too much speed, he hit the side of team-mate Pierre Gasly, whose Alpine was then sent into Norris’s McLaren on the outside. Norris was spun into the barriers, while both Alpines also retired with damage.

“At the end of the day, I just got taken out,” a frustrated Norris said. “Some drivers just shouldn’t be in Formula 1, to be honest.” The reigning world champion told written media that he had not seen the incident, but felt that causing a crash at such a restart should bring “at least a one-race ban”.

Norris also said the FIA should be tougher by starting to hand out bans for this type of incident. He directly identified Colapinto as the driver who should receive that sanction for the collision that ended his race and those of Gasly and Colapinto.

Colapinto apologised over team radio and again in his interviews, admitting it was a “big mistake”. “To the whole team, not only Pierre: it’s a big mistake,” he said. He also apologised to Gasly, the factory staff and both drivers involved: “Unfortunately, I also took out Pierre and Lando, of course, so a big sorry to both of them.”

Before the incident, Gasly was running seventh, Norris eighth and Colapinto 10th. The Argentinian explained his error by citing cold brakes and tyres, saying he locked up and completely lost control, at a time when both Alpines were in the points.