Key Highlights
- Alpine suffered a double retirement at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Franco Colapinto collided with Pierre Gasly on a lap 36 restart.
- Flavio Briatore called Colapinto’s late-braking incident “a very poor move” and said he was “extremely disappointed” by the result.
- Briatore will consider further action after Colapinto accepted full responsibility for the crash that also collected Lando Norris.
Alpine loses double points finish in Baku crash
Alpine executive Flavio Briatore has criticised Franco Colapinto after the team suffered a double DNF in the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Colapinto collided with Alpine team-mate Pierre Gasly during a lap 36 restart, while McLaren driver Lando Norris was also caught in the incident.
Colapinto locked his front tyres on the dusty, low-grip inside line of the Baku street circuit and hit the side of Gasly’s car. The collision ended the races of both Alpine drivers and denied the Enstone-based team what had appeared likely to be a double points finish.
Gasly and Norris were both unhappy with Colapinto’s driving. Norris went as far as suggesting that the FIA should consider a one-race ban for careless driving, while Colapinto’s team boss Briatore made clear that Alpine was also deeply dissatisfied with the incident.
Flavio Briatore criticises Franco Colapinto’s late braking
“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed with the outcome of today’s race, knowing we lost valuable points in the Championship fight,” Briatore was quoted in Alpine’s post-race press release.
“These sorts of incidents shouldn’t happen, particularly when we were running well with both cars in point-scoring positions. I feel very sorry for the team and for Pierre who did a great job all weekend and my apologies also go to Lando and McLaren for ruining their race.
“I know that Franco has taken full responsibility for it, as he should; in fact, he braked far too late considering the context of the race and the safety car restart. It was a very poor move for a driver of his experience.”
Colapinto accepted full responsibility for the crash, according to Briatore. The Alpine executive said the Argentine driver braked too late given the conditions and the timing of the safety-car restart, describing the move as unacceptable for a driver with Colapinto’s experience.
Alpine to consider next steps after Baku incident
Briatore said Alpine would review the incident before deciding how to respond. The team executive indicated that the priority was to understand what happened, learn from it and prevent a similar crash from occurring again.
“I want to take time to reflect on it and consider what course of action should be taken, so we can learn from it and avoid such a situation in future,” the Italian said.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix incident came during Colapinto’s strongest run of form in Formula 1 to date. The 23-year-old’s recent performances had helped him secure a new Alpine contract for the 2027 season, when he is scheduled to continue alongside Gasly at the Enstone-based team.
Why This Matters
The Baku crash cost Alpine valuable championship points at a time when both cars were positioned to score. It also places additional focus on the relationship between Colapinto and Gasly, who are set to remain team-mates under Colapinto’s new Alpine deal for 2027.
Briatore’s comments show that Alpine is treating the incident as more than a routine racing error. The team will assess the circumstances of the restart and Colapinto’s decision-making before determining whether any internal action is necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened between Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly?
On a lap 36 restart at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto locked his front tyres on the dusty inside of the Baku street circuit and collided with Pierre Gasly. Both Alpine drivers retired, and Lando Norris was also collected.
What did Flavio Briatore say about the crash?
Flavio Briatore said he was “extremely disappointed,” criticised Colapinto’s late braking and described the incident as “a very poor move.” He also said Colapinto had taken full responsibility.
Will Alpine take action against Franco Colapinto?
Briatore said he would take time to reflect and consider what course of action should be taken. No specific Alpine sanction was announced in the source material.