The safety car restart in Baku turned into the most expensive stunt show of the season: Franco Colapinto locked his tyres and collected Pierre Gasly, who in turn speared into Lando Norris’s McLaren. The result was a triple retirement and some distinctly awkward conversations in the Alpine garage that evening.

Gasly called it an “unfortunate mistake” and moved quickly to lower the temperature: “It’s all clear, I think it’s all good,” he said, adding that the only way forward is for the team to pull back together, literally and otherwise. He admitted adrenaline gets the better of everyone in the heat of the moment, but Alpine doesn’t have the luxury of staying angry for long.

Colapinto took the blame without excuses and tried to find a silver lining: “Good chats and difficult moments make us stronger. Hopefully we move on and can have a good weekend here.” Poetic, though Alpine’s management probably prefers points to philosophy.

And points matter right now: the team sits just 15 ahead of Racing Bulls in the fight for fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, while Colapinto will carry a five-place grid penalty into the Malaysian weekend. Which means the friendly chat in Baku might end up being the only good news Alpine takes from that race.

Source: formula1.com (https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/these-moments-make-us-stronger-gasly-and-colapinto-insist-alpine-must-look-ahead-after-baku-collision.yK4X8bYrE4TWTkFVyVUOX)