Formula One world champion Lando Norris has been subjected to a wave of online abuse after calling for Alpine driver Franco Colapinto to receive a race ban following their crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Colapinto triggered a three-car collision during a Safety Car restart in Baku after locking his brakes and hitting his Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly, whose car was pushed into Norris’s McLaren. All three drivers were forced out of the race.
Norris subsequently argued that incidents of that nature should attract stronger sanctions, saying drivers responsible for such crashes should face at least a one-race suspension.
The FIA stewards instead imposed a 10-second penalty on Colapinto, which was converted into a five-place grid penalty for the next race because he had retired and could not serve the original punishment.
Norris’s comments were followed by extensive abuse on social media, much of it apparently from supporters of the Argentine driver. Alpine responded by condemning the online harassment and urged fans to stop targeting drivers and others involved in Formula One.
Colapinto has also previously spoken against abusive behaviour directed at drivers, officials and teams within the sport.
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