Franco Colapinto hails Alpine team boss after fallout from Baku crash

[p]The Argentine took out both reigning champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] and Alpine teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gasly-pierre/nqYFMBBf/"]Pierre Gasly[/a] on lap 35 in Baku, after a restart following a safety car intervention.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/colapinto-franco/GzFqySBA/"]Colapinto[/a] apologised for his error, and a frustrated Norris initially called for him to be banned before also saying sorry for his reaction.[/p][p]Briatore chose not to drop Colapinto, who has made peace with his team and will retain his drive at this weekend's Bahrain GP in Malaysia.[/p][p][b]"There are times in the team when everyone is angry, and it's tricky to move forward," [/b]Colapinto told reporters at the Sepang International Circuit.[/p][p][b]"But the important thing is that you always find a way.[/b][/p][p]"Flavio is a great team leader. He's really one of the best I've had in the sport, of course, since I started.[/p][p][b]"He's very good at these situations, knowing how to manage them and knowing how to make the team better. So, I've always trusted him in this kind of stuff."[/b][/p][embed guid="82d34b0d-89c7-402b-8771-529520e9d285" url="https://x.com/wearetherace/status/2105528359304179969" social-type="twitter" /][p]A furious Briatore had said he would reflect before deciding on what action to take over the crash, which cost Alpine a solid points haul.[/p][p]Colapinto said he returned immediately from Baku to the team's base in southern England to resolve the problems.[/p][p][b]"Of course, Flavio was angry, as everyone in the team was angry.[/b][/p][p][b]"And of course I am very sad for what happened, but as a team we had a lot of chats, we learned and we had to move on."[/b][/p][p]Colapinto said he and Norris had since resolved their issues.[/p][p][b]"I think he was in the heat at the moment,"[/b] he said of the McLaren racer's initial comments.[/p][p]Of Gasly, he said: [b]"Pierre is my teammate and we have a very good relationship as well - so for now, everything is good."[/b][/p]