Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Flavio Briatore Warns Franco Colapinto After Costly Baku Crash
Flavio Briatore has put Franco Colapinto under renewed scrutiny after the Alpine driver’s costly mistake at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix wiped out both Alpine cars and Lando Norris, leaving the team to consider its next move.
The incident occurred during a Safety Car restart at Turn 1, when Colapinto locked up under braking and crashed into teammate Pierre Gasly. Gasly was subsequently pushed into Norris, ending the race for all three drivers.
The collision came at the worst possible moment for Alpine. Gasly and Colapinto were both running inside the points before the crash, giving the team a realistic opportunity to score heavily in its Constructors’ Championship battle.
Briatore Leaves Door Open for Alpine Action
Flavio Briatore made clear that Alpine was not simply going to move on from the incident without reviewing what happened.
“I want to take time to reflect on it and consider what course of action should be taken, so we can learn from it and avoid such a situation in future,” Briatore said.
The Alpine executive also criticized Franco Colapinto’s decision-making, saying he had braked too late for the conditions surrounding the restart.
Briatore acknowledged that Colapinto accepted responsibility and apologized to the team, Pierre Gasly and McLaren. However, he described the incident as a very poor move for a driver with Colapinto’s Formula 1 experience.
The team has not announced any specific internal punishment or other measure.
Colapinto Admits He Lost Control
Franco Colapinto offered little resistance to the criticism after the race, accepting responsibility for the crash.
The Argentine explained that he locked up with cold tyres and brakes and effectively lost control of the Alpine at the restart.
He also apologized for throwing away what had been shaping up as a major points opportunity for the team.
The consequences are already extending beyond Baku. The stewards imposed a 10-second penalty on Colapinto for causing the collision. Because he retired before serving it, the penalty has been converted into a five-place grid drop for the next race.
Gasly and Norris Also Pay the Price
Pierre Gasly had been running strongly before his teammate collected him. The Frenchman subsequently said he was extremely disappointed after Alpine appeared capable of putting both cars into the points.
Lando Norris was also furious after his race ended in the chain reaction. The McLaren driver initially argued that Franco Colapinto should receive a race ban, although Norris later apologized for the strength of those comments and said the two had reconciled.
The crash therefore created consequences for three teams and potentially altered the championship points picture.
Alpine had been hoping to close the gap to Racing Bulls in the Constructors’ Championship. Instead, the double retirement allowed its rival to gain ground.
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Colapinto Faces Pressure Ahead of Next Race
The controversy now follows Colapinto into the next Formula 1 weekend, where his five-place grid penalty will make his recovery more difficult.
For Alpine, the bigger question is what Briatore means by “course of action.”
The team has not indicated whether that could involve additional internal consequences, but Briatore’s comments underline how seriously Alpine views the lost opportunity.
Colapinto, meanwhile, will have to respond on the track. After taking responsibility for one of Alpine’s most expensive mistakes at the Azerbaijan GP, his next race will give him an immediate chance to rebuild confidence and show the Baku incident was an isolated error.
