Lando Norris has called for harsher disciplinary measures in Formula One following a collision that ended his race during Saturday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The McLaren driver was forced to retire after an incident involving Franco Colapinto, who crashed into Alpine’s Pierre Gasly after a safety car restart.
At the time, Norris was running in eighth place and was an innocent victim when Gasly’s out-of-control car collided with Norris’s McLaren. This mishap has left Norris trailing 116 points behind the championship leader, with only eight races remaining and a maximum of 208 points still available.
Speaking about the crash, Norris said: “If you cause a crash on a restart like this, you should have at least a one-race ban. I just got taken out. The FIA should be stricter when it comes to handing out bans for this kind of careless driving.”
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He added: “It is not just about the points but also the cost involved; all my parts are now ruined. This kind of driving does not deserve a place in Formula One. Drivers should anticipate low grip and cold tyre temperatures during restarts and race accordingly. When incidents like this happen, it’s clear that some drivers shouldn’t be there.”
Franco Colapinto, aged 23, accepted responsibility for the accident which not only forced Norris to retire but also caused Alpine’s other driver to lose potential points. The race stewards issued Colapinto with a 10-second penalty, and with his failure to finish the race, he faces the possibility of a grid penalty at the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix.
In response to Norris’s call for a race ban, George Russell, winner of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, commented: “I think that is too harsh. On safety car restarts, with cold tyres, a very small mistake can have significant consequences, which is what happened today. Race bans should be reserved for drivers who intentionally perform actions that are extremely dangerous and reckless.”