Franco Colapinto receives grid penalty in Imola GP after pit lane miscommunication with Alpine during chaotic Q1 red flag.
Franco Colapinto has received a one-place grid penalty for the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix following an incident in the pit lane during qualifying. Despite Alpine’s immediate apology, the stewards confirmed the sanction after reviewing the events.
The issue occurred after a red flag in Q1 triggered by Yuki Tsunoda’s crash. Colapinto was released too early by the Alpine team at the end of the pit lane, just before the session resumed. Radio messages between the team and the driver revealed a clear miscommunication.
The stewards concluded that Colapinto misunderstood Alpine’s instructions and entered the fast lane before the official restart time had been confirmed. Alpine argued that no sporting advantage was gained, but both the team and the driver accepted responsibility. Due to the accidental nature of the incident, the penalty was limited to a single grid spot.
This decision mirrors penalties given to Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli during the Bahrain qualifying session earlier this year, where similar pit lane mistakes occurred. However, the stewards warned that future violations under different circumstances could lead to harsher consequences.
Colapinto Calls for Respect Amid Online Abuse
Later in the evening, Colapinto took to the media to urge calm and respect among fans. His comments followed a wave of online abuse directed at Yuki Tsunoda, including racist insults, after a minor clash during free practice at Imola.
Tsunoda had gestured in frustration toward Colapinto after being blocked during a flying lap. The moment triggered a strong reaction from some Colapinto supporters, flooding Tsunoda’s Instagram with aggressive messages in Spanish.
“I did block him yesterday, and honestly, he was right,” Colapinto said after qualifying, where both drivers were eliminated in Q1. “It’s the first time out with the car and the team, and things can be tough. I didn’t know what some people back home had done overnight.”
He added, “Argentinians are incredibly passionate, but there has to be respect. That’s what we all want. There’s been a lot of hate on social media recently, and we need to bring things back to a place of respect, not just for me, but for all drivers.”
- Discover More>Norris Admits Piastri “Smacked” Him in Qualifying
- Follow us on >FACEBOOK and >TWITTERfor F1 update