Colapinto Avoids Crash with Lawson at Australian GP Start | F1 News
MELBOURNE, Australia – Franco Colapinto of Alpine narrowly avoided a potentially disastrous collision with Liam Lawson’s Racing Bulls at the start of the , Australian Grand Prix, an incident the Argentine driver described as “particularly dangerous.” The near-miss, which wasn’t fully captured by television replays, occurred as Lawson experienced a significant issue off the starting grid.
Lawson, starting eighth, plummeted to 18th after his car stalled immediately after the lights went out. He reported a complete loss of power, struggling for five seconds to regain control before experiencing wheelspin. “Honestly I have no idea, I launched and didn’t move and lost all power, and then I couldn’t receive it back for another five seconds,” Lawson explained. “Then a couple of seconds later I got it back and then got wheelspin. I don’t know what happened, I haven’t had that in testing.”
Colapinto, starting from 16th, was rapidly gaining speed when he encountered Lawson’s stationary car. He was forced to swerve sharply to the right, narrowly avoiding a high-speed impact with the Racing Bulls machine and the wall. “I almost had a massive crash with Liam as he got stuck on the grid, and I was really lucky to get through lap one,” Colapinto recounted to media. “I was really, really lucky, and we know things can happen with these new cars, but the video shows it was very dangerous and quite sketchy.”
The incident highlights the challenges presented by the new power unit regulations implemented this season. The removal of the MGU-H has made it more difficult for drivers to effectively spool up the turbo, contributing to several slow getaways at the start of the race. Charles Leclerc described the new starting procedure, which includes a five-second period for turbo spool-up, as “cheeky” due to the near-instantaneous illumination of the starting lights.
Despite the dramatic start, Colapinto ultimately finished the race in 14th position. Yet, his result was impacted by a stop/go penalty issued after a team member touched the car before the 15-second signal had elapsed. Lawson finished one place ahead in 13th, 45 seconds behind his rookie teammate Arvid Lindblad, who impressed with an eighth-place finish on his debut.
Colapinto acknowledged the team’s struggles for pace throughout the weekend, expressing disappointment that they couldn’t capitalize on the promising performance shown during pre-season testing in Bahrain. “We struggled for pace this weekend, and we were hoping for much, much better after Bahrain,” he said. “It was just a tough afternoon.” He also noted making slight contact with the wall, damaging his rear right tire during the evasive maneuver.
The incident comes amidst speculation surrounding driver movements within the Red Bull and Alpine organizations. reports suggest a potential seat swap between Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda at Racing Bulls ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, with Lawson’s performance under scrutiny. Colapinto himself has been linked with a potential return to the grid with Racing Bulls, having previously served as a reserve driver for Williams before joining Alpine on loan for two seasons.
Red Bull initially promoted Lawson to replace Sergio Perez at the end of , but his struggles to adapt to the RB21 have set his future in doubt. The team had previously considered Colapinto last year, but concerns over crashes at the end of the season led them to pursue other options. Alpine, however, saw enough potential in the young Argentine to secure his services on loan.
Colapinto recently posted a cryptic message on Instagram following the Shanghai Grand Prix – “Better weekends are coming…” – fueling speculation about a potential move. Motorsport Espana reports that Racing Bulls are considering replacing Lawson with Colapinto when Tsunoda is promoted, potentially leaving Lawson without a race seat.
The Australian Grand Prix incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks in Formula 1, particularly with the introduction of new regulations and the ever-present potential for mechanical failures. Colapinto’s quick reflexes and fortunate escape highlight the skill and composure required to compete at the highest level of motorsport. The coming weeks will be crucial for both Colapinto and Lawson as they navigate the complex landscape of driver contracts and team strategies within the Red Bull and Alpine organizations.