- McLaren driver Lando Norris has publicly apologised to Franco Colapinto via Instagram after initially calling for the Alpine driver to be banned from Formula 1 following a multi-car crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
- The collision occurred during a safety car restart when Colapinto smashed into his teammate Pierre Gasly, who then struck Norris, resulting in early race retirements for all three drivers.
- Following his initial outburst, Norris faced a barrage of online abuse from Argentine fans and criticism from public figures, prompting him to contact Colapinto privately to admit his emotional comments were wrong.
- Colapinto received a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix but accepted Norris's apology, with both drivers confirming they remain good friends ahead of the next race.
- Alpine issued a statement strongly condemning the online hate directed at Norris and other F1 figures, with de facto team boss Flavio Briatore threatening to restrict Argentine media access if the toxicity persists.
IN FULL
Lando Norris releases statement on social media after online abuse and Franco Colapinto criticism
