There was no place to hide for Franco Colapinto at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the Alpine driver made no attempt to absolve himself of the wreckage he left behind in Baku.
The Argentine accepted full responsibility for a Turn 1 blunder that wiped out his own race, ended Pierre Gasly's afternoon and swept Lando Norris out of contention in one ugly moment in the chaotic race.
With both Alpine cars running inside the points before the lap 36 restart, the consequences were particularly painful. Colapinto arrived at the inside of Turn 1 with cold tyres and brakes, locked up and slammed into Gasly, with Norris caught in the resulting chaos.
There was no attempt afterwards to dress up the incident as bad luck.
‘I threw it away’
Colapinto was visibly devastated by the damage caused, particularly because Alpine had been in a position to collect a substantial points haul.
"Just a big mistake," the Argentinian said. "I locked up completely with cold tyres and cold brakes and was out of control completely. So, not a lot to say more than sorry to the team, to Pierre of course, to all the factory.
"We've been working really hard to score points and I threw it away with that big mistake. So, very sad for the team. Of course, a big disappointment."
Colapinto said that he had spoken to Gasly after the incident, although the immediate mood was understandably raw.
"We spoke to Pierre, he came back and of course he's very upset, but I will try to talk to him again,” he said.
The blunder also provoked a furious reaction from Norris, who called for the FIA to take a tougher stance on what he described as careless driving and suggested Colapinto should receive at least a one-race ban.
Asked about Norris' comments, Colapinto did not attempt to argue his innocence.
No excuses from Colapinto
"Well, sorry to Lando as well, to be honest, not only Pierre,” he said.
“Sorry to everyone, it's a big mistake, of course. I just locked up and then I was very out of control. I couldn't do a lot. As soon as I touched the brake, I locked up and lost a lot."
That loss of control turned what had been a promising Alpine afternoon into a double retirement, while Norris was also left with nothing to show for his difficult Baku weekend.
For Colapinto, the fact that his mistake had taken out his own team-mate was the part that hurt most. He acknowledged that the consequences made the incident considerably more damaging than a simple error that only ended his own race.
"It is more than disappointing to take out your team-mate. That's the biggest part of it," he added.
"If it only affected me, it would be okay to learn, but when it affects the other car as well, it's even worse. I do expect to get something, of course. I don't know, I'm not a steward, so I'll leave it."
Colapinto's candour could not repair the damage, nor restore the points Alpine had been poised to collect. But with no attempt to deflect responsibility, the Argentine left Baku fully aware that this was one mistake he would have to own.
Read also: Norris calls for Colapinto ban after ‘careless’ Baku blunder
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
Colapinto owns up to Baku carnage: ‘Just a big mistake’ F1i.com.
Hence then, the article about colapinto owns up to baku carnage just a big mistake was published today ( ) and is available on F1 News ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Colapinto owns up to Baku carnage: ‘Just a big mistake’ )
Also on site :