Sports27 September, 20262 min read
Lando Norris Apologizes to Franco Colapinto After Calling for His Ban in Baku
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Norris called for a one-race ban for Colapinto after the Baku crash. Norris apologized to Colapinto and retracted the ban demand.
35 outlets told this the same way.
Apology After Baku
Lando Norris apologised to Franco Colapinto after Norris called for the Argentine to be banned for causing an accident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Norris said Colapinto was “sorry” for his “big mistake,” and Norris told BBC Radio 5 Live, “Give him a ban. It's quite simple.”
Norris later posted on Instagram that he was sorry for his comments on Saturday, writing, “Tough weekend overall in Baku and of course a disappointing and early end to the race,”.
Colapinto locked up at the restart after a safety-car period and slid into Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly, who then hit McLaren driver Norris, in an incident which resulted in all three retiring from the race.
Norris said he and Colapinto “came to a good understanding, are still good friends and are both excited to get back racing this weekend.”
Penalty and Restart
Franco Colapinto was given a 10-second penalty during the race, and the penalty was converted into a five-place grid drop for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia this weekend. Norris said the accident happened after Colapinto locked up at the restart, and Norris argued that the FIA should be stricter and start banning drivers for this kind of thing. Norris said, “I think the FIA should be stricter and start handing out bans for this kind of stuff,” after the restart crash eliminated Colapinto, Pierre Gasly, and Norris.
Norris also said, “In Formula 1, I think you expect drivers to anticipate things,” and he added that grip would be low and tyre temperatures were low. Colapinto said he was “sorry” for his “big mistake,” and he told the team and Pierre Gasly that it was a “very big mistake” after the lock-up.
From Outburst to Understanding
Norris said he sent Franco a message apologising for the comments he made, and Norris added, “I know better and emotions were running high but that is not an excuse, it was wrong of me.” Norris said he had “made mistakes of my own over the years” and he described the episode as “very much a part of racing and fighting at the limit.” Colapinto accepted responsibility for his “big mistake,” and Norris said the two “came to a good understanding” after the apology.
“I know better and emotions were running high but that is not an excuse, it was wrong of me.”
Andrea Stella said the incident “mainly underscores the need for drivers to be more cautious and use some “common sense” at the first corner in Baku,” and he pointed to the first corner as a place where mistakes can have significant consequences. Stella said, “I think, regardless of the deterrent effect a penalty may have, when you drive in Formula 1, you reach the first corner in Baku having seen so many videos of what happened in the past, you should simply benefit from this experience.”