Sep.28 (GMM) Lando Norris’ demand for Franco Colapinto to be banned from Formula 1 has triggered a widening backlash, with Argentine politicians, media figures and fans all piling into the controversy.
The row began after Colapinto’s Baku restart crash, which eliminated his teammate Pierre Gasly and world champion Norris and damaged Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes.
Norris reacted furiously, saying Colapinto “shouldn’t be in F1” and calling for a race ban.
But the reaction has spread far beyond the paddock.
Argentina’s foreign minister Pablo Quirno even weighed in on X, mocking Norris by referring back to the collision with Oscar Piastri in Montreal last year.
“Sure, Lando Norris called for a penalty for the driver who crashed into Oscar Piastri in Montreal 2025,” he posted.
“Ah, no… right.”
Argentine fans have also flooded Norris’ social media accounts, continuing a pattern already seen after the recent Gasly-Colapinto controversy in Madrid.
Alpine has now issued another formal statement condemning online abuse.
“Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments,” part of it read.
Former F1 driver Christijan Albers told De Telegraaf that Norris should probably stay away from Instagram for a while.
“I would advise him not to go on Instagram for the next few days,” he said, apparently referring to one post which has attracted a staggering 35,000 comments.
“But what those fans, those Argentinians, do on social media… it goes too far,” the Dutchman added.
Albers nevertheless also thought Norris had gone too far.
“Norris really went… well, he absolutely tore into him,” said the former Minardi driver.
“He said Colapinto should get a one-race suspension, that he doesn’t belong in Formula 1. I think he went a bit too far.”
De Telegraaf journalist Erik van Haren was even blunter.
“His comment is also just ridiculous. He just needs to stop being such a whinger,” he said.
Pundits for the Dutch broadcaster NOS were similarly critical.
Jeroen Bleekemolen said: “Norris reacted very harshly.”
“These are mistakes that can happen, because Colapinto really knows what he’s doing.”
Analyst Louis Dekker went further. “The way Lando Norris went against Colapinto really doesn’t make sense. Then I really think: just shut up.”
Former team boss Frits van Amersfoort added: “Lando, you didn’t do everything right either.”
Despite the criticism of Norris, there is broad agreement that the abuse now aimed at him has gone too far.
Alpine said it will continue working with Formula 1 and the FIA on ways to combat online abuse, which it says has become “a regular occurrence in recent races”.
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