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Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has defended Franco Colapinto's attacking approach following the multi-car collision that marred the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The Argentine rookie triggered a major incident at Turn 1 during a Safety Car restart on the Baku street circuit. Misjudging his braking point, Colapinto locked up and slammed into Alpine teammate Pierre Gasly, who was subsequently pushed into Lando Norris. The heavy contact forced all three drivers into immediate retirement.
Colapinto was quick to apologise after the race, admitting he was entirely out of control, though the incident still drew sharp criticism from the drivers caught in the aftermath. Speaking on Formula 1's post-race coverage, Montoya offered a different perspective, commending the Argentine's boldness.
"I think he expected everybody to brake deep into the corner," Montoya explained. "The issue is that when you're that far back, it turns into a traffic jam. Everyone ahead checks up. You could see he slammed on the brakes, the wheels locked, and he was definitely going to hit someone. Franco veered to the inside and almost got the car stopped in time. He made a mistake and took out his teammate and Lando, but he was inches away from pulling it off."
Montoya noted that an aggressive mindset is precisely what defines fearless racers: "The hardest part in those moments is staying aggressive, spotting an opening, and going for it — I admire drivers who take the risk. On a restart, some guys just focus on protecting their spot, while Franco is the type who immediately looks to gain ground. When you race like that — much like Max Verstappen — and you're always lunging for the gap, you're bound to make mistakes along the way."
Colapinto currently occupies 12th place in the Drivers' Championship with 27 points, while his teammate Gasly sits 10th with 41 points.
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