News Summary

Franco Colapinto apologised to Pierre Gasly and Alpine after causing the collision that ended both teammates’ Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Speaking after the race in Baku, the Argentine said he had made a serious mistake while the two cars were in position to score points.

“Just a big sorry to all of them, to the factory, to Pierre, of course. Took him out,” Colapinto said. “We were both in a good position to score points. So, it was a big day for the team, and I did a big mistake. A big sorry, it shouldn’t happen.”

The crash occurred at Turn 1 on lap 36, immediately after the restart that followed Alex Albon’s accident. Colapinto locked up under braking and hit Gasly. Lando Norris was also caught in the collision, with his McLaren making contact with the wall. All three drivers retired, prompting another safety car period.

Colapinto had already apologised over the Alpine radio as the team assessed whether his car could continue. In his post-race account, he described the moment when he lost control: “Locking up and completely out of control. So, not a lot I could do.” His explanation referred to what happened after the wheels locked; he did not dispute that the initial error was his.

For Alpine, the collision removed two possible points finishes at once. Gasly had been running inside the top 10 before the restart, while Colapinto had also moved into the points during the first safety car period. Gasly’s immediate reaction over the radio was to lament the result: “So many points gone.”

The stewards found Colapinto responsible for causing the collision and issued a 10-second time penalty. Because he did not finish and could not serve it in Baku, the sanction will be converted into a grid drop for the next race. The number of places must be taken from the stewards’ written decision; a 10-second penalty does not mean an automatic 10-place drop.

Norris got out of his car and was reported to be OK. In a post-race media session attended by GRANDE PRÊMIO in Baku, the McLaren driver called the driving behind incidents of this kind “careless” and urged the FIA to consider bans. He said at the time that he had not yet watched a replay of the crash.

Colapinto said Alpine would turn its attention to the next opportunity to score. “We will go onto the next one and score points there,” he said. The next Formula 1 round is the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang in Malaysia, with the race scheduled for 4 October.

F1 today: FAQ

When is the next F1 race after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place at Sepang on Sunday, 4 October 2026. The race starts at 08:00 BST, 03:00 US Eastern time and 15:00 in Malaysia.

Who leads the 2026 F1 championship after Baku?

Kimi Antonelli leads with 302 points, 66 ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell, who has 236. Russell reduced the gap by 15 points with his Azerbaijan GP victory.

What penalty will Franco Colapinto serve at the next F1 race?

Colapinto has a five-place grid penalty for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after causing the Baku collision involving Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris.

What did Franco Colapinto say about the Baku crash?

Colapinto apologised to Gasly, Alpine and its factory. He said he had locked up at Turn 1, lost control and made a mistake while both teammates were in position to score points.