- Lando Norris said he “caught up in the heat of the moment” after criticizing Franco Colapinto following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
- Norris apologized directly to Colapinto on Sunday night and later issued a public apology.
- The McLaren driver expects the Sepang International Circuit to suit the MCL40 better than Baku, provided the team resolves its straight-line speed and power issues.
Lando Norris explains apology to Franco Colapinto
Lando Norris has reflected on his apology to Franco Colapinto after comments made in the aftermath of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren driver acknowledged that he had “caught up in the heat of the moment” in Baku and said his post-race remarks did not accurately represent his views.
The incident began when Colapinto locked up at Turn 1 during the first Safety Car restart. The Alpine driver made contact with team-mate Pierre Gasly, sending Gasly into Norris’s McLaren. Both Gasly and Norris were forced to retire from the race, while Colapinto continued to the pits before eventually retiring himself.
Colapinto received a 10-second time penalty that was converted into a five-place grid drop for this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Speaking immediately after the race, Norris said there were “some drivers that shouldn’t be in F1” and suggested that Colapinto should receive a ban.
The World Champion later published a statement on social media on Monday, explaining that he had apologized directly to Colapinto. Norris addressed the situation again during media day in Sepang, where he was asked whether drivers can rely on one another as a support network after incidents of this kind.
Norris says direct apology to Colapinto was most important
“I’ve certainly leant on other drivers in the past for help in different situations and advice in different situations,” the 26-year-old said. “Not that I think this was necessarily that case at all – it was just me not saying the right things and saying some things that aren’t a true reflection of me or what I really mean deep down.
“I think I don’t normally get caught up in the heat of the moment but this was certainly one of the cases where I think I did, and for me the most important thing was to speak to Franco about it. He’s the only guy, let’s say, that I want to direct something to and care about in this situation, and that’s what I did.
Advertisement“I spoke to him already on Sunday night as soon as I could, and of course I put the post out later in the week to apologise, to let everyone know that I did it because there was also the rest of the world that I felt like I owed the apology to.
“As drivers we all get along, Franco is a good friend of mine who I get on well with. He always means well – he’s a very good guy. Of course, at the same time I felt like I owed him that apology more than everyone else.”
Norris emphasized that Colapinto was the person to whom he most wanted to address the matter. He said the two drivers get along well and described Colapinto as a good friend who “always means well”. Norris also said he felt obliged to apologize publicly because the wider public had witnessed his original comments.
Alpine condemns online abuse after Azerbaijan GP
Alpine issued a statement condemning the “hate and abuse” directed online at Colapinto following the Azerbaijan race. Norris said that this kind of reaction is “not easy for anyone” and called for greater respect and humility within the Formula 1 community.
“There’s just a level of respect and humility that I think people should have,” he explained. “We all mistakes – one of those things was me making the mistake last weekend. There’s a level of things, and as a community we need to understand how we can make it better.”
Norris’s comments placed his own post-race reaction within a wider discussion about accountability and online conduct. While accepting responsibility for what he said, he also argued that drivers and fans should consider how their responses affect those involved in high-pressure racing incidents.
Norris hopes McLaren will be stronger at Sepang
Attention has now turned to McLaren’s prospects at the Sepang International Circuit. Norris believes the venue could be better suited to the MCL40 than the Baku City Circuit, although he said the team must address issues that made his car more difficult to drive during the previous weekend.
“I hope it’s better than Baku – I expect it to be better than Baku,” the 13-time race winner said. “We certainly will be more confident if we can fix some of the problems I’ve had on my car. Over the weekend in Baku, it just made my car more tough than it needs to be, which is the straight-line speed and power problems we’ve been having.
“I want to believe so. I think we still believe as a team we have a competitive car and it’s still strong in certain areas. Hopefully a combination of all these things means we can have a better weekend.”
Why This Matters
Norris’s apology brings a high-profile driver dispute from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix back into focus while highlighting the pressure surrounding Formula 1 incidents and post-race reactions. Colapinto’s penalty and resulting grid drop remain part of the sporting consequences, while Alpine’s condemnation of online abuse underlines the broader impact that race incidents can have beyond the circuit.
For McLaren, the Sepang weekend also offers an opportunity to assess whether the MCL40 can deliver a stronger performance than it did in Baku. Norris identified straight-line speed and power as key weaknesses, making the team’s ability to address those problems central to its prospects at the next event.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Lando Norris apologize to Franco Colapinto?
Norris apologized after saying that there were “some drivers that shouldn’t be in F1” and suggesting that Colapinto should be banned following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris later said he had spoken in the heat of the moment and that his comments did not reflect what he truly meant.
What happened between Franco Colapinto, Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris?
Colapinto locked up at Turn 1 during a Safety Car restart and collided with Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly. Gasly then hit Norris’s McLaren, forcing both Gasly and Norris to retire. Colapinto later retired after visiting the pits.
What does Lando Norris expect from McLaren at Sepang?
Norris expects McLaren to be more competitive at the Sepang International Circuit than it was in Baku. He said the team needs to resolve straight-line speed and power problems that made his car more difficult to drive.
