Alpine speaks out again against online abuse linked to Franco Colapinto after Baku

Alpine has again spoken out against social-media abuse directed at those around the team following Franco Colapinto’s crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The behaviour of Argentine fans has come under particular scrutiny lately after several waves of hateful comments.

One earlier episode followed the drive-through penalty handed to Colapinto at Zandvoort for overtaking under double yellow flags. FIA stewards and Alpine were targeted at the time. Pierre Gasly also received abusive messages after briefly refusing to let his team-mate through in Madrid.

Gasly said the threats had also targeted his family. Colapinto, for his part, described the behaviour as “not nice to see”, while maintaining that it did not come “just from his fans”.

In Baku, Colapinto lost control at a safety-car restart and triggered a pile-up that put Gasly and Lando Norris out of the race. The reigning champion, who was particularly upset, said before he had even been able to view the footage that whoever caused the accident should receive “at least a one-race ban”.

Norris did not name Colapinto, but the response nevertheless prompted another wave of online abuse. The Briton was the main target, although Gasly and others were not spared.

In its statement issued on Sunday, Alpine stressed that mistakes are part of racing at the limit and that no result or outcome justifies hateful or abusive comments. The team added that it strongly condemns the reaction of some users online and stands alongside Formula 1, the FIA and other teams in seeking to stamp it out, arguing that the issue has become regular in recent races and cannot be condoned.

The latest flare-up came shortly after Flavio Briatore, Alpine F1’s boss, reportedly threatened Argentine media that they would no longer be allowed to speak to Colapinto if hateful messages continued to damage the team’s reputation.

Alpine was nevertheless careful not to single out its own driver’s fanbase. According to the team, condemning online abuse is not aimed at one particular community of fans or at the supporters of a team or driver: the problem is universal and must be called out among all followers of the sport. Alpine also says it intends to work with the championship’s promoter and rights-holder, as well as the governing body, to identify ways to tackle online abuse and encourage healthy sporting rivalry.