Colapinto gets 5-place grid drop for Bahrain GP in Malaysia

Franco Colapinto has received a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix after causing a multi-car collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. During the Lap 36 Safety Car restart, Colapinto braked too late into Turn 1, colliding with his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris, resulting in retirement for all three drivers. The FIA stewards determined that Colapinto was fully responsible for the incident, noting that his speed made a controlled turn impossible. Because Colapinto retired from the race, his standard 10-second penalty was converted into the grid drop for the next event at Sepang. Reflecting on the incident, Colapinto expressed deep regret and apologized to Gasly and the Alpine team for his mistake. Gasly voiced his frustration over the lost points, while Norris was highly critical of the move, bluntly stating that such errors have no place in Formula 1.