Esteban Ocon gets 10s penalty for pit clash with Colapinto

Esteban Ocon was handed a 10-second penalty after clipping Franco Colapinto as they exited the pits at the Chinese Grand Prix, a clash that sent both cars spinning. Colapinto recovered to 10th to score a point, and Pierre Gasly finished sixth to secure a double-points result for Alpine. The fallout stretched beyond the track, with a public plea on X urging fans not to target Ocon, his family, or the Haas team with abuse.

The incident began after both drivers switched to hard tires during the middle phase of the race. They pitted in close succession. As Colapinto rejoined, Ocon tried an inside move into Turn 2. The cars made contact. Each spun and fell down the order before they could get going again. The clash disrupted both runs and forced strategy tweaks in the pack that followed. Ocon later accepted responsibility for the contact and apologized to Colapinto in parc fermé.

Stewards reviewed the Turn 2 tangle and issued Ocon a 10-second time penalty. The sanction capped a tough afternoon after the spin. Colapinto fought back through the second half of the race and reached 10th at the flag to claim one point. Gasly’s sixth place completed a solid haul for Alpine. The result put two cars from the Enstone team in the top 10 despite mid-race setbacks. The penalty stood as the formal outcome from race control on the clash itself.

Reaction online turned heated in the hours after the finish. Colapinto’s management used X to ask fans not to send hateful messages or death threats. The post named Ocon, his family, and the Haas team as targets to leave alone. The statement urged supporters to respect the line between sport and abuse and to avoid spreading anger after tight on-track battles. It reflected the wider problem teams and drivers face when incidents trigger waves of direct messages and replies across social platforms.

Colapinto said he accepted Ocon’s apology. He still called the race frustrating. He explained that the spin ruined his strategy and put him in traffic on a tire plan that relied on clean air. He also reported handling issues that he linked to floor damage from the clash. The car felt unstable in the fast sections. He felt the drag from the damage cost lap time and dulled his chance to chase the group ahead for more points. The late recovery to 10th was a salvage job under those limits.

The sequence showed how narrow the margins are when cars exit the pits and merge into a live fight. Colapinto’s line off the pit exit and Ocon’s move to the inside converged at Turn 2, where the grip on hard tires can be low until they reach temperature. The spin left both drivers facing the wrong way and reset their afternoons. The stewards’ call matched Ocon’s own view in parc fermé, where he took the blame for the contact.

For Alpine, the day ended with two cars in the points. Gasly’s clean run to sixth formed the base of the score. Colapinto’s one point softened the damage from the spin and the lingering pace loss from a hurt floor. For Ocon, the 10-second penalty defined his result and the review of the clash. Away from the timing sheets, the management statement sought to cool the online reaction and remind fans that even heated races do not justify abuse.