Colapinto issues 'big sorry' after Baku blunder wipes out team-mate Gasly and Norris
Franco Colapinto has issued an emotional apology to Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly and the entire Enstone factory after his error on a Safety Car restart eliminated both Alpine cars — and Lando Norris' McLaren — from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
A double-points haul undone in an instant
Alpine had been on course for a richly rewarding afternoon on the streets of Baku, with Gasly running seventh and Colapinto tenth as a Safety Car was deployed in the final third of Saturday's 51-lap race following Alex Albon's crash.
But with the field bunched together as racing resumed, disaster struck for the French squad. Heading into Turn 1, Colapinto misjudged his braking and locked up, moving to the inside before swiping the side of Gasly's car on the apex. The pair spun to the outside of the circuit, collecting Norris' McLaren in the process, with all three drivers eliminated on the spot.
'A big sorry — it shouldn't happen'
An visibly crestfallen Colapinto did not shy away from responsibility when faced with the media afterwards.
"Just bit of disappointment, for myself, for the team. Just a big sorry to all of them, to the factory, to Pierre of course," said the Argentine. "[I] took him out, so really disappointed. We were both in a position to score points, was a big day for the team and [I] did a big mistake. Big sorry, it shouldn't happen."
The 22-year-old admitted he had been a passenger at the moment of impact: "I was locking up and completely out of control. Not a lot I could do. We move onto the next one and try to score points."
Gasly lost for words
Gasly, who was fighting for a strong points finish through no fault of his own, struggled to find the right words in the immediate aftermath.
"I don't think I really have words and I don't need the words now," said the Frenchman. "We'll manage it together as a team. I'm obviously very disappointed for all the guys, P7 and P10 was a very good race, good pace. Honestly I have no idea how to answer your question. Got to move on."
The standings damage
The collision could hardly have come at a worse moment for Alpine in the constructors' battle. The team had been on course to slash the nine-point gap to Racing Bulls in the fight for fifth in the teams' standings — but instead walked away from Baku six points further adrift, after rookie Arvid Lindblad finished seventh for the Italian outfit.
Lindblad himself was involved in a collision with his own team-mate Liam Lawson at the same time as the Alpine incident, though that clash ultimately concluded with no further action from the stewards.
For Colapinto, the challenge now is to rebuild trust within a team whose faith in him was rewarded with a double-points opportunity — one that vanished in a cloud of locked-up smoke at Turn 1.