Franco Colapinto blasted Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll for “always taking people out” after he clashed with Gabriel Bortoleto in the Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Sunday’s race at the Interlagos circuit was another typically chaotic affair, with a vast array of on-track action, which included some collisions.
Bortoleto, making his first appearance in front of his home crowd as an F1 driver, was keen to make amends after crashing heavily in the latter stages of Saturday’s Sprint Race.
And things were looking bright for the reigning F2 champion, overtaking both Lewis Hamilton and Colapinto at Turn 6 on the opening lap.
But as he tried to move up the inside of Stroll into Turn 10, the Canadian’s Aston jinked left to take his usual line, as Bortoleto crept up on the outside.
The two cars made contact, and the Sauber was left planted into the wall, which brought out the Safety Car.
With Colapinto just behind, the Argentinian – who was confirmed as Alpine’s second driver for 2026 over the race weekend – got a bird’s eye view of the action.
It irked the Argentinian, who later proclaimed: “Stroll is just always taking people out, just not looking in the mirrors, leaving no track, and he put Gabi in the wall.
“It’s what he does every time.”
Bortoleto diplomatic over Stroll incident despite Colapinto backing
Bortoleto was therefore eliminated from the race, and a double DNF at his first Brazilian outing, leaving Nico Hulkenberg as the lone Sauber, the German picking up two points in ninth.
After the race, the home hero downplayed Stroll’s involvement in the clash, describing it as a “racing incident.”
“I overtook two cars, it was Lewis [Hamilton] and Colapinto in the outside of six,” Bortoleto told media including Motorsport Week.
“It was a nice move. And then Lance, I was just side by side with him out of nine. There’s no pointing fingers here. I think, you know, just lap one and I was in the outside.
“He opened a little bit more than what there was of space there. He clipped my front tyre and I ended up in the wall.
“I think it’s a racing incident. Obviously, if he had given a bit more space, I would have done the corner, and probably overtaken him because he had worse tyres than I had because I was on softs.
“But again, it’s a racing incident. He didn’t do it on purpose, I’m sure. Every time I fight with him, he’s fair with me. So it’s just racing.”
READ MORE – Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Brazil GP Driver Ratings
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