Albon’s harsh penalty, Alpine setback, Colapinto’s Baku loss | OneFootball

Franco Colapinto suffered again in the Azerbaijan GP of Formula 1. The Argentine driver started 16th, climbed positions at the beginning of the race, and was in the running for the last point-scoring positions, but a collision with Alexander Albon, his former teammate at Williams, forced him to spin and damaged his car, condemning him to 19th place. Although the Thai driver was heavily penalized, the impact left sporting and confidence consequences that go beyond the five-second penalty.

On lap 17 of the Baku circuit, Albon took more risks than necessary in an unusual corner to attempt an overtake; the Pilar native was already well-positioned, and the rear touch immediately destabilized him. Although he was able to return to the track, the damage was already done: compromised wing and suspension, lost pace, and a race that turned into an uphill battle. What seemed like an opportunity to gain valuable kilometers turned into a nightmare, as the cost was enormous.

Colapinto went from running in 13th position to closing the pack, with a car losing between half a second and seven-tenths per lap. The projection of finishing in the 10th-12th place —a zone close to the points— vanished, and more seriously, the chance to show Alpine a clean performance for his evaluation evaporated.

Although Albon was penalized, ten seconds of penalty, for the French team, it was insufficient. “Entering turn 5, car 23 attempted to overtake car 43 on the inside; however, its front axle was not level with the mirror of car 43. Car 43 was in control and following the normal racing line, so car 23 had no right to the corner and was therefore deemed fully responsible for the incident,” highlighted the stewards of the Maximum in their report. In the regulations, this type of maneuver is classified as an “avoidable collision.” Additionally, they added two points to his license, accumulating four in the last 12 months.

However, the consequences go beyond the standings. Alpine needed its A525, with changes implemented for this event, to complete a reference race and did not achieve it. Additionally, Colapinto, who is competing head-to-head with Paul Aron for a seat in 2026, saw how the balance becomes complicated: not due to his own mistakes, but because of results that do not come. Meanwhile, Aron has room to showcase himself without the burden of external accidents. The pressure builds up, and every weekend becomes a final exam for the Argentine.

It is worth noting that reactions in the paddock were swift. Colapinto stated: “It is not a corner for overtaking,” clearly expressing his anger. For his part, Albon acknowledged the mistake and apologized, while in Argentina, fans erupted on social media talking about “injustice” and “lack of respect” towards a single-seater driver who is just beginning to make his way.

Formula 1 is relentless: points are worth gold, and mistakes, whether one's own or others', are costly. For Colapinto, the penalty to Albon does not compensate for the lost opportunity. His continuity at Alpine will depend on whether, sooner rather than later, he can prove that he has what it takes to stay.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.