Lance Stroll attracts fresh criticism after ‘mirrors not aligned’ jab

Franco Colapinto renewed criticism of Lance Stroll after Stroll's contact with Gabriel Bortoleto in São Paulo, accusing Stroll of poor mirror checks and forcing rivals off track. Betting impact: expect markets to react on props tied to early-lap incidents, safety-car likelihood and driver-related collision odds—punters may back shorter odds on Stroll-involved incident markets in upcoming races.

Colapinto Blasts Stroll After Sao Paulo Grand Prix Clash

Franco Colapinto piled on criticism of Lance Stroll following a first-lap incident that left Sauber rookie Gabriel Bortoleto in the barriers at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Colapinto, who felt aggrieved after a similar Mexico run-in, accused Stroll of failing to check mirrors and repeatedly forcing rivals off the racing line.

Mexico Spat Rekindled

Colapinto pointed to the Mexican Grand Prix as background to his frustration, after he spun when his right-side wheels ran onto the grass. He blamed the contact on Stroll. "He pushed me onto the grass," Colapinto said. "Stroll never looks in his mirrors… I have no idea where he's looking when he checks them. He always does the same thing."

Bortoleto Out After Turn 10 Contact

In Brazil it was Gabriel Bortoleto who ran wide and hit the barriers when he tried an outside move on Stroll at Turn 10. The impact broke a steering arm and ended Bortoleto’s race, a harsh conclusion after he had survived a heavy Sprint crash earlier in the weekend.

Bortoleto Labels It a Racing Incident

Bortoleto was measured in his response, describing the collision as a racing incident and declining to finger Stroll deliberately. He said he was side-by-side with Stroll and that the contact clipped his front tyre, costing him the corner. "If he had given a bit more space, I would have done the corner," Bortoleto added, noting past battles with Stroll had been fair.

Racecraft Scrutiny and Team Reactions

Colapinto’s public complaint ramps up scrutiny on Stroll’s racecraft and could influence how teams coach their drivers into first-lap fights. Expect teams to brief on early-race caution and for stewards to face renewed attention over how aggressively wheel-to-wheel incidents are policed.

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What This Means Moving Forward

The saga heightens the narrative around aggressive opening-lap moves and could affect on-track behaviour, stewarding decisions and tactical choices in qualifying and race starts. Rival drivers and teams will be watching closely for any repeat, and bookmakers may see short-term market shifts on incident-related props and safety-car probabilities.

Lance Stroll attracted a double dose of criticism.

Planet F1