Franco Colapinto has announced that he is stepping away from social media for the time being after urging his supporters to stop attacking rival Formula 1 drivers, team-mates and members of the Alpine team online.
The Argentine explained in a video posted on Instagram that although he remains deeply grateful for the support he receives, some fans have crossed the line when attempting to defend him. Colapinto made clear that insults and attacks directed at other drivers, mechanics and engineers do not help either him or his future in Formula 1.
Franco Colapinto addresses fan behaviour after recent F1 incidents
Colapinto has regularly found himself at the centre of controversy when mistakes occur, despite having shown considerable speed at different stages of his career. The situation has at times been made more difficult by the reaction of some supporters, who have flooded social media accounts with criticism aimed at anyone who speaks negatively about the Alpine driver.
The most recent flashpoint began in Baku. Colapinto made a mistake for which he immediately accepted responsibility, running deep into Turn 1 and becoming involved in an incident that also affected team-mate Pierre Gasly and reigning world champion Lando Norris.
Norris, visibly frustrated by what had happened, responded by saying: “Certain drivers shouldn’t be in F1.” The Baku incident involving Franco Colapinto and Lando Norris became one of the major talking points from the race.
The British driver’s comments triggered a strong reaction from part of the Argentine fanbase, with social media profiles belonging to drivers receiving insults and threats.
A similar situation developed again first in Malaysia and then in Singapore, when Norris himself made a braking mistake that ultimately put Oscar Piastri out of the race.
Colapinto asks supporters to change their behaviour
In an attempt to calm the situation, the Alpine driver addressed his supporters directly in a video on Instagram, asking them to stop such behaviour and announcing that he had decided to distance himself from the internet, at least temporarily.
“Hi everyone, I have something very important that I have needed to talk to you about for some time,” Franco Colapinto began. “I should have spoken to all of you about it in person, but it is something necessary that we have to change, that we have to improve.”
Colapinto then thanked his supporters for the encouragement they have given him throughout his career.
“I will always be grateful and I feel really lucky to have had you with me from the beginning, and for all the support you give me, for how you help me achieve results, for how you push me to keep going further.”
“This helps both me and the team, as day after day we keep training and trying to improve. I am really grateful for all of this and I know it makes you very proud when I do well, when I score points.”
‘These behaviours do not help me or my future’
Colapinto then turned directly to the problem he wants his supporters to address.
“There are times, however, when we cross the line, when instead of supporting me we end up criticising, we end up attacking other drivers, other colleagues, my team-mates, my mechanics, my engineers, the people I work with every day.”
“I know you think you are defending me, but by doing this we only achieve the opposite effect. These behaviours do not help either me or my future.”
The Argentine stressed that changing the tone of the support around him must be a collective effort.
“I really want you to understand that this is something we all need to change together. We need to try to improve, to help me perform better, to help me continue fulfilling my dream, achieving my results and continuing to score points.”
“I need you to help me stop all of this together.”
Franco Colapinto announces break from social media
Colapinto then confirmed that he had already made the decision to take a step back from social media and focus on his career.
“We will keep fighting for things to go well. For some time I have made the decision to step away from social media, to take a break, focusing on what really matters to me, focusing on my dream, on my sporting career and on the results we need to achieve with the team.”
He nevertheless reassured supporters that they would continue to see him at Formula 1 races and encouraged them to keep backing both him and Alpine.
“Don’t worry, you won’t miss me. We will keep seeing each other at the races and supporting each other. I want you to keep supporting the team, I want you to keep supporting me and I’m sure we will achieve great results together.”
“So let’s give everything, we will keep pushing very hard for those good results to come back, for those points to come back. Let’s give everything as one big team, let’s support each other in the good moments and the bad ones, and I’m sure we will see each other very, very soon at the races closer to home.”
“A huge hug and thank you from the bottom of my heart for understanding, thank you for your support and for always being there.”
Colapinto’s message was therefore not a rejection of his supporters, but an appeal for the way that support is expressed to change. The Alpine driver wants the focus to return to his performances, his development and the team around him rather than online attacks directed at other people in Formula 1.
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