Alpine has once again taken a firm stand against online abuse after a fresh wave of hostility erupted during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, following the accident involving Franco Colapinto that also ended the races of Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris. The Formula 1 team responded with another clear statement condemning insults and threats directed at drivers, teams and other figures in the sport.
The latest controversy adds to a series of incidents in recent races in which social-media reaction surrounding Franco Colapinto has escalated well beyond normal criticism. Argentine supporters have again come under scrutiny, although Alpine stressed that its condemnation is not directed at any particular fanbase.
Alpine online abuse controversy began before Baku
The first major wave of verbal abuse had already targeted FIA stewards and Alpine at Zandvoort, when Franco Colapinto was handed a drive-through penalty for overtaking under double yellow flags.
Pierre Gasly subsequently found himself subjected to abuse after initially resisting a team order in favour of Franco Colapinto in Madrid. On that occasion, Pierre Gasly revealed that the threats had even extended to members of his family, while Franco Colapinto described what had happened as “unpleasant to see” and stressed that the attacks “did not come only from his supporters”.
Franco Colapinto crash reignites tensions at Azerbaijan GP
Tensions rose sharply again during the Baku weekend. At the restart behind the safety car, Franco Colapinto lost control of his car and triggered a chain-reaction accident that put both Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris out of the race.
A visibly irritated Lando Norris, before having watched footage of the incident, said that whoever was responsible for the contact should receive “at least a one-race ban”.
Although Lando Norris did not directly name Franco Colapinto, those comments reignited anger across social media. Much of the subsequent abuse was directed at the British driver, while Pierre Gasly and other Formula 1 personnel were also targeted.
Alpine calls for united stand against online abuse
Alpine responded on Sunday with an official statement reiterating its position against threats and abusive behaviour.
“Mistakes are part of racing when you are pushing at the limit. Regardless of the outcome, nobody should ever be subjected to abuse or threats,” Alpine said.
The team also made clear that its message should not be interpreted as an attack on Franco Colapinto’s supporters or any other specific group of Formula 1 fans.
“Our condemnation of online abuse is not targeted at a group of fans or supporters of a particular team. It is a universal principle that concerns, and should unite, all fans of this sport.”
Alpine continued: “As we have stated in the past, we strongly condemn the reaction of some users online and express our full solidarity with Formula 1, the FIA and the other teams in the shared aim of eradicating this phenomenon. It has become an all-too-frequent occurrence in recent races and can no longer be tolerated.”
Flavio Briatore reports add to tense Alpine backdrop
This latest episode of online hostility comes against an already tense backdrop. It follows recent reports suggesting that Alpine F1 executive adviser Flavio Briatore had threatened to withhold Franco Colapinto from the Argentine media if the spiral of online abuse did not subside, as part of an effort to protect the team’s image.
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