Norris Calls for Colapinto Ban After Baku Crash, but Russell and Verstappen Disagree

A restart gone wrong

Lando Norris says Franco Colapinto should face at least a one-race ban after the Alpine driver triggered a multi-car pile-up on a Safety Car restart that ended both Norris's Azerbaijan Grand Prix and that of his own teammate, Pierre Gasly, on lap 36 in Baku.

Colapinto locked up on cold tyres and brakes heading into Turn 1 in low-grip conditions, collecting both McLaren-adjacent cars in the process. Norris did not hold back afterward, telling Sky Sports, "I just got taken out. Some drivers that shouldn't be in Formula 1, to be honest." In written comments to press, he went further: "If you cause a crash on a restart like this, you should have at least a one-race ban. The FIA should be stricter."

Colapinto's penalty, and his apology

Stewards handed Colapinto a 10-second penalty for the incident, plus a five-place grid penalty for the next race in Malaysia. The Argentine driver was quick to take responsibility: "Big, big sorry, it's a big mistake. Cold brakes, cold tyres, I was completely out of control."

Not everyone agrees with Norris

Race winner George Russell pushed back on the idea of a ban. "I think that's too harsh, personally," he said. "Race bans should come from drivers intentionally doing something very dangerous." Max Verstappen sided with Russell, describing the incident as "a small mistake or misjudgement" rather than something deserving a suspension.

Gasly's frustration was clear in the moment over team radio, but he later struck a more measured tone about his relationship with his teammate: "Respect. It's all about respect."

The bigger picture

The incident overshadowed what was otherwise a clean day for the sport's frontrunners: Russell won the race, with Verstappen second and Isack Hadjar third, while Norris was left to salvage what points he could after being caught up in a crash he had no part in causing. The debate over how strictly the FIA should police restart incidents looks set to continue into the next race weekend.