Summary
- Colapinto thanked Verstappen for supporting him after the accident involving Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris in Baku.
- The Argentine compared Verstappen’s response with his handling of Kimi Antonelli’s mistake in Austria in 2025.
- Norris has apologised for requesting a race ban; Colapinto will serve a five-place grid penalty at Sepang.
Franco Colapinto has thanked Max Verstappen for defending him after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix accident that eliminated Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris. The Argentine said Verstappen’s response demonstrated an understanding of the mistakes young drivers can make in Formula 1.
Norris initially called for Colapinto to receive a one-race suspension following the collision at the first Safety Car restart in Baku. Verstappen and George Russell considered that punishment excessive, with the Red Bull driver acknowledging the consequences of the accident while treating it as a racing mistake.
Asked in Sepang before the preparation for the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, Colapinto praised the four-time world champion’s standing among younger competitors.
“Every young driver looks up to him; he is a hero to many,” Colapinto said.
The Alpine driver explained that Verstappen’s experience helps him recognise situations in which an error can have consequences far greater than the mistake itself. Colapinto also found some humour in the agreement between Verstappen and Russell, whose relationship has frequently been marked by disagreement.
“Lando’s comment finally made George and Max agree with each other for once,” Colapinto joked.
Colapinto recalls Verstappen’s response to Antonelli
Colapinto drew a comparison with the 2025 Austrian Grand Prix, when Antonelli made a braking error and collided with Verstappen. The Mercedes rookie apologised, and Verstappen accepted his explanation without demanding a harsher punishment.
For Colapinto, that response illustrated how Verstappen’s own experience of making mistakes influences his treatment of less experienced drivers. He praised the Dutchman for showing sporting understanding towards Antonelli despite the cost of the retirement.
“Max has always been very supportive of young drivers because he has made mistakes himself,” Colapinto said.
Colapinto also suggested that the Austria accident might have affected Verstappen’s championship outcome. That was the Argentine’s assessment of the points lost, rather than a definitive explanation of the title result.
His comparison concerned the reaction to an error, rather than a claim that the two collisions were identical. In Baku, Colapinto locked his brakes approaching Turn 1 after the Safety Car restart, struck Gasly and triggered the contact that also eliminated Norris.
Norris has apologised for requesting a suspension
Norris subsequently withdrew his demand and contacted Colapinto privately. In his public explanation, the McLaren driver acknowledged that he should not have made the comments and that frustration did not excuse them.
“I sent Franco a message apologising for the comments I made that I simply should not have said,” Norris wrote.
As detailed in Norris’s apology to Colapinto after the Baku crash, the two drivers reached an understanding and remained on good terms. The apology addressed Norris’s remarks rather than the sporting penalty imposed on the Alpine driver.
The stewards found Colapinto responsible for causing the collision and handed him a ten-second penalty. Because he retired without serving it, the sanction became a five-place grid drop for the next event.
Colapinto will therefore race at Sepang with that penalty, rather than a suspension. The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place from 2–4 October, with practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover the weekend.
F1 today: FAQ
What time does F1 practice start at Sepang?
Friday practice begins on 2 October. FP1 starts at 05:30 BST in the UK, 10:00 IST in India and 14:30 AEST in Sydney and Melbourne. In New York and Toronto, it starts at 00:30 EDT; in Los Angeles and Vancouver, at 21:30 PDT on Thursday. FP2 begins three and a half hours later.
Is Esteban Ocon leaving Haas and retiring from F1?
Ocon will leave Haas at the end of 2026, but says he intends to remain in Formula 1. He has not announced retirement and would consider a reserve role while seeking another race seat.
What happened to Oscar Piastri at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Piastri was running near the front in Baku before a mistake during a Safety Car restart dropped him out of podium contention. He finished 14th, adding to a difficult 2026 season for the McLaren driver.
Why did Colapinto thank Verstappen?
Colapinto thanked Verstappen for supporting him after the Baku collision and opposing the suggestion that he should receive a one-race suspension.
