Following the collision in Baku, Lando Norris has launched a scathing attack on Franco Colapinto and called for a race ban: ‘He has no place here’
Lando Norris has sharply criticised Franco Colapinto following the accident at the safety car restart in Baku and called for the Alpine driver to be banned from racing: “People like that should simply be banned, because that’s not the sort of racing that deserves to be in Formula 1,” said the world champion, clearly fed up after his retirement.
Colapinto had triggered a pile-up at Turn 1 during the first restart behind the safety car because, with his tyres locking up, he had crashed into his team-mate Pierre Gasly of all people, who was sandwiched between the Argentine and Norris. Norris, on the outside line, was innocently dragged off the track and crashed backwards into the barriers.
“I was simply knocked off the track,” fumed the McLaren driver, who hadn’t yet seen the footage at that point. “I think the FIA should be much stricter about this and impose race bans for things like this. It’s simply reckless of some people. It costs an absolute fortune; all my parts are now going in the bin,” raged Norris.
Did Russell play a part in the crash?
The restart behind the safety car has caused chaos on several occasions in Baku in recent years – and not just in Formula 1. Because the drivers are coming off a long straight, the leader usually doesn’t open the throttle until very late to avoid being overtaken in the slipstream. However, this means that the back of the field approaches Turn 1 packed tightly together.
I’m curious to see what #Briatore will have to say about this move by #Colapinto. #AzerbaijanGP #F12026 #F1 #Formula1 pic.twitter.com/fJobSayw17
— Christian Nimmervoll (@MST_ChristianN) 26 September 2026
Russell also picked up the pace quite late, though Norris doesn’t see this as the cause: “George can do whatever he wants,” he says, knowing that the leader dictates the pace. “In Formula 1, drivers are simply expected to anticipate things and know that grip is low and tyre temperatures are low – even though they weren’t actually that low.”
“In Formula 1, we want to compete against the best drivers in the world, and if something like this happens, it’s because they have no business being here,” the Englishman says, directing some rather pointed words at Colapinto. His demand: “If you cause an accident like that at a restart, you should be banned for at least one race.”
Is a race ban really on the cards?
The last driver to be banned for a crash in Formula 1 was Romain Grosjean, who triggered a pile-up at the start of the Spa-Francorchamps race in 2012. The Lotus driver was sidelined for one race at the time.
Since then, Formula 1 has dealt with this issue through penalty points, although this has only led to a suspension on one occasion: in the case of Kevin Magnussen, who exceeded the twelve-point threshold at Monza in 2024 and had to sit out the Baku Grand Prix – Oliver Bearman drove in his place at the time.
However, as Formula 1 has drastically eased the restrictions this season regarding the awarding of penalty points, Colapinto is currently top of the standings with four points (prior to the crash in Baku) and is therefore a long way from facing a race ban. The Argentine was at least handed a ten-second penalty for the crash.
Norris: “An impossible task…”
For Norris, the retirement was a significant setback for his remaining, slim World Championship hopes. But even without the crash, the race had been rather frustrating for him, as before Alexander Albon’s crash – which brought out the safety car – he was only in ninth place after overbraking at Turn 1 and losing two positions.
“I had absolutely no chance out there with the pace I had,” he lamented. “I’m sure there were a few things in my driving that I didn’t do well enough; I need to see what I can improve for next time. But at the same time, the speed at which they were flying past me… that was impossible.”
“It was a pretty impossible task out there today.”
