Lando Norris Blasts Franco Colapinto After the Baku GP: “There Are Drivers Who Shouldn’t Be in F1”

Lando Norris blasted Franco Colapinto after the Baku GP crash and called for suspensions for this type of mistake. Max Verstappen, however, deemed a one-race ban excessive.

Norris Finishes Out of the Baku GP and Takes Aim at the FIA

Lando Norris finished the Baku GP with zero points after being involved in an accident during one of the race's most chaotic restarts. The McLaren driver had started from fifth and was looking to make up ground in the closing stages of the Grand Prix.

The Briton had already endured some difficult moments during the race, but was still in contention for valuable points. However, an incident at the first corner completely changed his result and that of several other drivers.

The situation left Norris visibly frustrated and quickly sparked a debate that moved from the track to the disciplinary side of the sport: should the FIA punish this type of mistake more severely?

Colapinto Causes the Crash as Norris Delivers a Blunt Message

Everything happened during the restart following the safety car. Franco Colapinto tried to attack at the first corner, but locked his brakes, lost control, and narrowly avoided Kimi Antonelli before hitting his teammate Pierre Gasly. The chain reaction eventually reached Norris's McLaren.

The Briton, who had moved up to seventh place, ended up in the wall and was forced out of the race. The loss of points was particularly costly for McLaren, while Alpine also saw an important opportunity to score points with both cars disappear.

Norris's reaction was emphatic. According to comments reported by The Race, he said: “There are drivers who shouldn’t be in F1.” He also argued that the FIA should begin handing out suspensions when a driver causes accidents of this magnitude.

Verstappen Pushes Back Against Norris and Defends Colapinto

Amid the controversy, Max Verstappen offered a very different view. During the FIA press conference, the Dutchman said the incident could be interpreted as a mistake in judgment and highlighted that Colapinto immediately accepted responsibility.

Verstappen explained that locking the tires in a low-grip area can create a difficult situation to control when several cars are running close together. For that reason, he considered a one-race suspension too severe in this case.

While Norris is calling for a tougher stance from the FIA, Verstappen is focusing on the context of the maneuver and Colapinto's reaction afterward. In sporting terms, the incident was costly for Alpine, while Arvid Lindblad took advantage of the chaos to finish seventh and score six points for Racing Bulls.

Colapinto received a 10-second penalty, which was converted into a five-place grid penalty for the next Grand Prix mentioned in the notes. The Argentine also acknowledged his mistake and apologized to his team and Gasly, while the debate over the severity of the punishment continued to grow.

Key Takeaways

Colapinto caused a multi-car crash in Baku after locking his brakes during the restart.
Norris called for tougher penalties and questioned whether incidents like this should result in a suspension.
Verstappen defended Colapinto and considered a one-race suspension excessive.