Franco Colapinto’s aggressive restart at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix sparked a three‑car collision that forced him, Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris out of the race.
Controversy over the Baku pile‑up
During a safety‑car restart on Baku’s twisty Turn 1, the Argentinian misjudged his braking point and locked the rear wheels. The locked‑up car collided with Gasly, who then clipped Norris – the trio retired with a costly crash that disrupted the grid.
Colapinto apologized immediately after the event, admitting he was “completely out of control.” The incident drew criticism from the drivers involved, escalating discussion on how aggressive restarts should be handled.
Montoya’s counter‑perspective
Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya, speaking on F1 TV’s post‑race broadcast, defended the young driver. He said, “He expected everyone to go deep; when you’re so far back it’s a traffic jam that forces all to back off… he made a mistake, but it was close.”
Montoya praised Colapinto’s opportunity‑seeking approach, noting: “You see an opportunity, and I admire people that try. When you have a restart, you either want to lose a position or seize it. Franco is the guy who wants to go and take it.” He added that even the leading‑pack drivers, like Max Verstappen, often make mistakes in the same pursuit.
Impact on championship standings
Colapinto now sits 12th with 27 points, while Gasly sits 10th with 41 points. The crash not only cost all three drivers valuable time but also reshaped the middle‑order battle in the current season.
The event underscores how aggressive restarts can yield both opportunity and peril, a balance that teams will reassess in future Grands Prix.
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