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Franco Colapinto penalized five places following Baku collision
Franco Colapinto has been handed a five-place grid penalty for the Malaysian GP following his role in the multi-car collision at the Azerbaijan GP.
Colapinto Penalized Following Baku Chaos
The fallout from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix continues to ripple through the paddock as stewards have handed Franco Colapinto a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix. The decision stems from the driver’s role in a significant multi-car collision during today’s race in Baku.
The Incident at Turn 1
The race had been neutralized by a safety car following Alexander Albon’s crash, but the real mayhem erupted at the restart. As the field approached Turn 1, Colapinto suffered a massive lock-up on the inside line. The Alpine driver careened into the side of Pierre Gasly’s car, triggering a chain reaction that ultimately sent Gasly into Lando Norris’ McLaren.
The stewards' investigation concluded that Colapinto was wholly or predominantly to blame for the incident. According to the official report, “COL approached GAS from behind into Turn 1. COL braked too late and entered the corner on the inside at a speed which did not allow him to make the corner in a controlled manner.”
While Norris expressed significant frustration, calling for a full race ban, the regulatory response was more measured. Because Colapinto failed to finish the race, the standard 10-second time penalty was converted into a five-place grid drop for the Sepang race in accordance with FIA regulations.
Lindblad Cleared of Blame
In a separate but related matter, the stewards addressed the contact between Arvid Lindblad and Liam Lawson. While Lindblad was seen spinning his Racing Bulls teammate during the same sequence, the FIA determined no further action was required.
The stewards clarified that the collision was a direct consequence of the chaos caused ahead. The report noted that the Colapinto shunt triggered a sudden braking reaction, leaving Lindblad in a highly restricted space. “The Stewards therefore considered this to be a typical first-corner incident following a restart, with no driver predominantly to blame,” the report stated, effectively ruling that the chain reaction was out of Lindblad’s control.
As the championship moves toward Malaysia, Colapinto will face a significantly tougher task attempting to recover lost ground from the back of the grid.