Norris Opens Up About Apologising To Colapinto After Baku Row

Lando Norris has explained his thinking behind apologising to Franco Colapinto for his reaction to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Speaking to reporters in Sepang, the McLaren driver admitted that emotions got the better of him in Baku.

The incident happened at the restart after the first Safety Car period. Colapinto locked up at Turn 1 and hit his Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly, who was then pushed into Norris's car. Both Gasly and Norris were out on the spot. Colapinto received a 10-second penalty, which was converted into a five-place grid drop for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. After the race, Norris had said some drivers did not belong in F1 and floated the idea of a ban.

Norris said he spoke to Colapinto in person on Sunday night and later posted a public apology during the week. In his view, Colapinto was the person he owed it to most, but he also wanted to address everyone else who had followed the story. He described the Argentinian as a well-meaning friend.

He also touched on Alpine's condemnation of the online hate and abuse that followed the race, saying such treatment is hard on anyone. He called for more respect and humility across the F1 community.

Looking ahead, Norris hopes McLaren will fare better in Sepang than in Baku. He believes the team's car is still competitive in certain areas, and that fixing the straight-line speed and power problems would give the team more confidence.

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