Norris apologised to Colapinto after Baku race over ban comment

Monaco (AP) — McLaren's Lando Norris has apologized to Franco Colapinto after making remarks suggesting some drivers "shouldn't be in Formula 1." The apology came following a multicar collision that ended Norris's race during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.

Norris had stated this opinion in the wake of Colapinto's actions, which triggered a chain reaction that ended Norris's race. Colapinto had braked too late at the first corner after a safety car period, colliding with his own teammate Pierre Gasly. Gasly's car then pushed Norris's into the barriers.

Norris acknowledged that his comments were wrong and that he should not have made them, despite the high emotions surrounding the situation. He admitted that making such remarks is not acceptable and was a mistake. Norris also noted that he knows full well this type of behavior is inherent in racing and pushing the limits.

Colapinto referred to Norris's comments as a "big mistake" and expressed a sincere "big sorry to both of them," specifically mentioning Gasly and himself. The two drivers are reportedly still good friends and are looking forward to getting back on track for the upcoming race in Malaysia. Despite the incident, Norris is currently 116 points behind race leader Kimi Antonelli.