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Norris apologises to Colapinto over F1 race ban comments
Norris said his remarks were made in the heat of the moment and apologized directly after the lap-36 collision sparked online abuse toward Colapinto.
On Monday, McLaren driver Lando Norris apologized to Alpine's Franco Colapinto for demanding a race ban following their collision at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, admitting his comments were made in the heat of the moment.
Colapinto triggered a three-car pile-up at lap 36 restart in Baku when he locked up into Turn 1, eliminating himself, teammate Pierre Gasly, and Norris from the race.
Immediately after the crash, Norris told media, "If you cause a crash on a restart like this, you should have at least a one-race ban," branding Colapinto unfit for Formula 1.
Norris's remarks provoked an abusive online backlash from Argentine fans, forcing Alpine to issue a statement condemning the abuse, while Colapinto will serve a five-place grid penalty at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix.
Both drivers have moved past the conflict, with Norris saying they "came to a good understanding" and are "still good friends," preparing for the race at Malaysia's Sepang circuit.