Lando Norris Breaks Silence After Baku Crash Backlash

Key Takeaways

What happened during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix restart

Lando Norris was eliminated from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix following a chain-reaction incident at a Safety Car restart. The reigning World Champion had struggled to match the pace of the front-running cars for much of the weekend and was running in the midfield when green-flag racing resumed. Contact from Franco Colapinto’s Alpine hit the sister car of Pierre Gasly, which in turn collided with Norris’s McLaren, ending his race.

Norris’s post-race comments about Colapinto

Norris called for the FIA to introduce “race bans” for drivers guilty of “careless racing” during restarts. Speaking to the media after the incident, his frustration was evident as he suggested that driving styles like Colapinto’s in Baku have no place in the sport, adding that “there are some drivers that shouldn’t be in Formula 1.” The comments were made in the immediate aftermath of his retirement from the race.

The online backlash and Alpine’s response

Norris’s remarks drew a swift and heated reaction from Argentina’s fan base, with his social media accounts flooded with hostile messages within hours of the incident. Argentina’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pablo Quirno, joined the criticism on X, posting a photo of Norris’s 2025 Canadian Grand Prix collision with then-teammate Oscar Piastri and writing: “Sure, Lando Norris called for a penalty for the driver who crashed into Oscar Piastri in Montreal in 2025. Ah, no… right.” Alpine subsequently posted a statement condemning the volume of abusive messages directed at those involved.

Norris’s Monday morning statement

Norris addressed the situation directly in an Instagram story published early on Monday morning. He described Baku as a “disappointing” weekend for both himself and the team, and used the statement to explain the context behind his post-race comments, emphasising points he felt he had already made clear in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

What comes next for Norris and McLaren

The next round of the 2026 season is the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, with race day set for 2026-10-04. Norris will look to move past the Baku fallout as McLaren, sitting third in the constructors’ standings after round 15, aim to close the gap on Mercedes and Ferrari heading into the closing stretch of the championship.

FAQ

Q: Why did Lando Norris retire from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Norris retired after a chain-reaction incident at a Safety Car restart, in which Franco Colapinto’s Alpine made contact with Pierre Gasly’s sister car, which then collided with Norris’s McLaren.

Q: What did Lando Norris say about Franco Colapinto after the race?
Norris called for the FIA to impose “race bans” for “careless racing” and said “there are some drivers that shouldn’t be in Formula 1,” referring to driving styles like Colapinto’s in Baku.

Q: Why did Argentina’s Foreign Minister criticise Lando Norris?
Pablo Quirno posted a photo of Norris’s 2025 Canadian Grand Prix collision with Oscar Piastri, questioning why Norris hadn’t called for a penalty in that incident.

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