Lando Norris Apologizes to Franco Colapinto After Azerbaijan Grand Prix Crash
Lando Norris has issued an apology to Franco Colapinto following their controversial crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, admitting his post-race criticism was fueled by the heat of the moment.
Lando Norris Apologizes to Franco Colapinto
Lando Norris has apologized to Franco Colapinto after heavily criticizing the Argentine driver following a crash that knocked him out of the race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Saturday. The British driver, who had called for Colapinto's suspension and stated that "some drivers don't deserve to be in Formula 1," admitted that his remarks were made in the heat of the moment and should not have been said.
"After the race I sent Franco a message and apologized for the things I said, which I simply shouldn't have said. I know I shouldn't have done it and that emotions were running high, but that's no excuse: I was wrong," Norris wrote on social media. "I've also made mistakes over the years, and I know that's very much part of racing and trying to push the limits."
The Incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix
The apology came after Norris severely criticized Colapinto following his retirement from the race. The collision occurred on lap 35, after the safety car was deployed to clear Alex Albon's Williams. During the restart, Colapinto attempted an inside overtake at the first corner, locked his tires under braking, and lost control of his Alpine, colliding with teammate Pierre Gasly, who subsequently hit Norris's McLaren.
Aftermath and Team Reactions
The incident proved to be a major missed opportunity for Alpine. Gasly had been running in seventh place while Colapinto was tenth. Following the crash, the Argentine took responsibility and apologized over the team radio. Colapinto later explained the braking error to ESPN, noting that he had also struggled with pace and rear tire wear prior to the incident.
