News Summary
- Alpine condemned hateful and abusive comments following the collision involving Colapinto, teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris in Baku.
- The team said the abuse has targeted people beyond its own driver, including members of the media and its racing rivals.
- Alpine plans to work with Formula 1 and the FIA on ways to address online abuse while preserving sporting rivalry.
Alpine spoke out on Sunday after the fallout from Franco Colapinto’s crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix spread across social media. The Argentine locked up at Turn 1 during a Safety Car restart on Saturday, hit teammate Pierre Gasly and triggered a collision that also eliminated Lando Norris. Colapinto accepted responsibility and apologised after the race.
In a statement, Alpine said it felt compelled to address “the hate and abuse online following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix”. It specified that the comments were aimed not only at one of its drivers but also at media members and people at rival teams.
“Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments,” the team said. Alpine did not name the other individuals targeted or attribute the abuse to supporters of a particular driver.
The crash had already prompted strong reactions within the paddock. Norris called Colapinto’s driving careless and argued that the FIA should consider suspensions for incidents of this kind. Colapinto received a penalty from the stewards for causing the collision, which will be served as a five-place grid drop at the next round because he retired in Baku. Alpine’s statement did not challenge the stewards’ finding or withdraw its driver’s admission of fault.
Instead, the team drew a line between criticism of the incident and attacks on the people involved. “Condemning abuse on social media is not aimed at any one fan base or the supporters of one team or driver,” Alpine said, adding that the problem should be recognised across the sport.
It is the second time in recent days that online attacks have drawn a response from those around Alpine. Before the Azerbaijan race, Gasly described threats directed at him and his family after a late-race dispute with Colapinto at the Spanish Grand Prix. Colapinto defended his teammate and asked supporters to stop.
Alpine said abusive reactions had become a regular occurrence at recent races and that it stood alongside Formula 1, the FIA and other teams in opposing them. The team also committed to discussing possible responses with the championship promoter and governing body. “We will continue to work closely with the championship promoter and rights-holder, and the governing body,” it said, seeking ways to tackle abuse and encourage sporting rivalry.
The team has not announced a specific new measure in its statement. Its immediate on-track consequence from Baku remains the loss of both cars in the Turn 1 collision, while Colapinto faces the grid penalty at the next Grand Prix.
F1 today: FAQ
When is the next F1 race after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia takes place at Sepang on Sunday, 4 October 2026. The race starts at 08:00 BST, 03:00 US Eastern time and 15:00 in Malaysia.
Who leads the 2026 F1 championship after Baku?
Kimi Antonelli leads with 302 points, 66 ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell, who has 236. Russell reduced the gap by 15 points with his Azerbaijan GP victory.
What penalty will Franco Colapinto serve at the next F1 race?
Colapinto has a five-place grid penalty for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after causing the Baku collision involving Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris.
What did Alpine say after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Alpine condemned online abuse aimed at its driver and other members of the F1 community, including media members and rival teams, following the Baku race.
