Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto say Alpine must ‘look ahead’ after Baku collision: ‘These moments make us stronger’

Pierre Gasly urges Alpine to move on from Baku collision

Pierre Gasly believes Alpine must put Franco Colapinto’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix collision behind them and concentrate on the Constructors’ Championship battle for the remainder of the season. Gasly said he was satisfied that he and his Alpine team mate had discussed the incident and were ready to focus on improving the team’s position.

The crash occurred during the Safety Car restart in Baku, when Colapinto locked up and drove into the side of Gasly’s car. The impact pushed Gasly into Lando Norris’s McLaren, forcing all three drivers to retire from the race.

Colapinto apologised shortly after the race, but Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore suggested that further consequences could be considered as he assessed “what course of action should be taken”. The stewards subsequently handed Colapinto a five-place grid penalty, which will be imposed at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Gasly and Colapinto seek stronger Alpine response

Gasly confirmed that he and Colapinto had spoken about the collision and that the conversation had allowed them to leave the matter in the past. The French driver said the incident had been costly but stressed that Alpine’s priority was now the Teams’ Championship and the fight for fifth place.

“It’s all clear. I think it’s all good,” he explained. “It was an unfortunate mistake and it was costly, but it’s all fine.

“We know what we’ve got to do and I think the target is very clear – focusing on the Teams’ Championship, working as a team as well as we can. There aren’t many races left but we’re still in the fight for fifth.“I think we have a good car and strong pace at the moment. We’ve just got to make the best of the opportunities in the coming weeks.

Gasly acknowledged the frustration created by the Baku retirement but said Alpine needed to respond collectively. He also emphasised that both drivers would be important to the team’s efforts to finish fifth and to its plans for next year.

“In the heat of the moment, you’re running high on adrenaline, you’re running high on emotion, frustration, disappointment. It was a big blow for us as a team, but the only way of going forward is just to get back together and get stronger as a team.

“We’ll need each other to finish in fifth place and we’ll need each other next year. We’ve got to look ahead. He came to apologise – it was an unfortunate mistake.

Explaining how the crash unfolded, Gasly said Colapinto lost control after braking too late and that it was unfortunate that his car was the one hit. Gasly added that he had taken time to process the incident before arriving in Malaysia ready to race again.

“Once you’re past that line and you brake too late, [you’re] out of control and it was just unfortunate that I was the car that he shunted into. It’s done. I slept on it over a couple of days and now we’re in Malaysia and looking forward.”

Alpine face Racing Bulls battle for fifth

Colapinto also expressed confidence that Alpine could recover from the difficult weekend. The team’s response will be important in its contest with Racing Bulls to be crowned the best of the rest, with 15 points separating the two teams after Arvid Lindblad finished seventh in Baku.

“I think we handled everything inside and everything is good and positive – looking forward to this race already,” Colapinto said. “I think good chats and difficult moments make us stronger. Hopefully we move on and can have a good weekend here.

The Argentine said the two drivers had addressed the relevant issues and that strengthening the team after challenging moments was the main objective. He said Alpine needed to learn from the collision and ensure that similar problems were not repeated.

“We talked about what we had to talk about. I think especially to make the team stronger after these moments is our goal. When it goes well or [we have] tricky moments, it’s important that we stick together and understand what to do better to improve in the future and for it not to happen again.

“I think these moments make us stronger. Hopefully the future is right for us and we can turn the situation around quickly.”

Why This Matters

Alpine’s response to the Azerbaijan incident carries significance beyond the loss of a single race result. Gasly and Colapinto must work together as the team pursues fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, while Racing Bulls remain within 15 points. The drivers’ ability to rebuild cooperation and convert Alpine’s “good car” and “strong pace” into results will be central to that battle over the remaining races.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened between Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto in Azerbaijan?

During the Safety Car restart, Colapinto locked up and hit the side of Gasly’s Alpine. Gasly was then pushed into Lando Norris’s McLaren, and all three cars retired.

What penalty did Franco Colapinto receive?

The stewards gave Colapinto a five-place grid penalty to be imposed at this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

What is Alpine fighting for?

Alpine are battling Racing Bulls to finish fifth in the Constructors’ Championship and be recognised as the best of the rest. The teams are separated by 15 points after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.