News Summary
- Flavio Briatore has warned that Colapinto could stop speaking to Argentine television if attacks against Pierre Gasly and his family continue.
- Jack Doohan received death threats before losing his Alpine seat, while Tsunoda, Ocon and FIA officials were subsequently targeted.
- Colapinto, Alpine, his management and the FIA have repeatedly asked supporters to separate passionate backing from harassment and personal abuse.
Franco Colapinto’s emergence in Formula 1 produced an extraordinary response in Argentina. Circuits filled with national flags, television audiences expanded and Alpine’s social-media channels were transformed by the arrival of one of the championship’s most intensely supported drivers.
A minority of that audience, however, has repeatedly crossed the boundary between support and abuse.
What began with hostile comments directed at Colapinto’s sporting rivals has developed into racist messages, fabricated posts, conspiracy theories, personal threats and harassment involving drivers’ relatives. Jack Doohan, Yuki Tsunoda, Esteban Ocon, FIA stewards and Pierre Gasly have all been targeted since Colapinto joined Alpine.
The latest episode followed the Spanish GP in Madrid, where Gasly was accused by sections of the Argentine media and fanbase of deliberately compromising Colapinto. The Frenchman subsequently revealed that threatening messages had been directed at him, his girlfriend and other members of his family.
That prompted Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore to issue his strongest warning yet.
“If this continues, Franco will stop speaking to Argentine television. He will stop speaking to everyone,” Briatore told ESPN Argentina. “I’m saying this especially to the Argentines, because there are no problems with the Italians or whoever else. If they want to support Franco, they must do it respectfully and loyally. Not like what I see on social media.”
The warning is not an isolated reaction. It is the latest stage of a problem that has accompanied Colapinto’s Alpine career since before he even raced for the team.
February 2025: Colapinto’s manager warns fans attacking Doohan
The first major intervention came after Alpine signed Colapinto as a reserve driver for 2025. As speculation increased that he could replace Jack Doohan, the Australian became the subject of sustained abuse on Alpine’s social-media accounts.
Jamie Campbell-Walter, a director at the management company representing Colapinto, warned that the campaign was damaging the Argentine rather than helping him.
“The haters who think they help Franco: you are doing him more harm than good,” Campbell-Walter wrote. He specifically criticised insults aimed at Alpine, Doohan and other supporters, asking fans to behave with passion but without “abuse and arrogance”.
The message failed to end the attacks. Doohan remained under considerable pressure throughout his six-race spell as an Alpine driver and was replaced by Colapinto after the 2025 Miami GP.
Doohan later revealed that he had received six or seven emails containing graphic death threats before losing the seat. He also described an incident involving three armed men which required assistance from his police escort, although he did not identify those responsible.
May 2025: A fabricated post triggers harassment of the Doohan family
The situation intensified during Colapinto’s first weekend as an Alpine race driver at Imola.
After the Argentine crashed in qualifying, an image circulated online appearing to show Doohan’s father, five-time motorcycle world champion Mick Doohan, mocking the accident. The post was false and had originated from a parody account, but it was treated as authentic by parts of the Argentine media and widely redistributed.
Jack Doohan responded by publishing the genuine post and asking people to stop targeting his relatives.
“As you can see, the story circulating above is completely false,” he wrote. “Please stop harassing my family.”
Alpine issued a public statement condemning online abuse and reminding supporters that drivers, their families and team personnel must be treated with respect.
The episode established a recurring pattern: an incident or unverified allegation spread rapidly, hostile messages followed and an official intervention became necessary only after the abuse had already reached relatives.
May 2025: Tsunoda receives racist abuse after Imola incident
Yuki Tsunoda became another target during the same weekend.
Colapinto unintentionally impeded the Red Bull driver during practice, prompting Tsunoda to show his frustration from the cockpit. His social-media accounts were then flooded with abusive comments, including racist messages written predominantly in Spanish.
This time, Colapinto intervened personally.
“I know they are extremely passionate, and they are always very harsh on people,” he said. “They have to give respect, and that’s what we all want.”
Colapinto added that there was already “a lot of hate on social media” and called for supporters to remain calm. Tsunoda warned that Formula 1 might eventually need to intervene if the behaviour continued to escalate.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem subsequently supported both drivers and reiterated the governing body’s position that threats, hatred and discrimination have no place in motorsport.
April 2026: Ocon receives death threats as Alpine denies sabotage
The same issue returned after Esteban Ocon collided with Colapinto during the 2026 Chinese GP.
Ocon accepted responsibility, sought out Colapinto in the media pen and apologised again on social media. Despite those actions, Alpine revealed that its former driver received insults and death threats following the incident.
The team admitted it should have condemned the attacks sooner, describing it as particularly disappointing that a former Alpine race winner had been targeted by a minority within its own online community.
That statement also addressed a separate campaign alleging Alpine was deliberately sabotaging Colapinto or providing him with inferior machinery to Gasly.
The team published an unusually detailed 1,200-word open letter, confirming that both drivers had equivalent equipment apart from minor components that did not significantly affect performance. It called the sabotage claims “completely unfounded”.
The allegations had spread after Colapinto scored only one of Alpine’s first 16 points of the season. Instead of treating the performance difference as a sporting or technical issue, some accounts presented it as evidence of an organised attempt to favour Gasly.
August 2026: FIA stewards targeted after Colapinto penalty
The hostility eventually expanded beyond drivers and teams.
Colapinto received a drive-through penalty and three Super Licence penalty points during the Dutch GP after passing Tsunoda under yellow flags and failing to slow sufficiently during another incident.
Following the decision, members of the stewarding panel were subjected to online abuse and personal attacks. Colapinto sponsor Mercado Libre also publicly accused the officials of “killing the integrity of Formula 1”, further intensifying the response.
The FIA defended its officials and warned that disagreement with a sporting decision could never justify threats or harassment.
“Disagreeing with decisions is part of sport, but it must never justify threats or personal attacks,” the governing body said through its United Against Online Abuse campaign.
The incident demonstrated how the problem had evolved. The targets were no longer limited to drivers perceived as Colapinto’s direct rivals; any person or institution responsible for an unfavourable result could become the focus of the campaign.
September 2026: Gasly and his family receive threats
The Madrid dispute represented the most serious internal breakdown yet.
Gasly was accused of deliberately delaying Colapinto during the race, with sections of Argentine television presenting his conduct as an attempt to harm his team-mate. The criticism quickly moved from analysing the incident to attacking Gasly personally.
The Frenchman revealed that abusive and threatening messages had also reached his girlfriend and family.
“It’s disturbing,” Gasly said. “There are limits that should never be crossed. You can support whoever you want, but involving families and sending threats is completely unacceptable.”
The Alpine driver stressed that he accepted criticism as part of professional sport but distinguished it from personal intimidation. Briatore then threatened to remove access to Colapinto if Argentine broadcasters and supporters continued encouraging hostility.
The controversy is especially damaging because Alpine has already confirmed Gasly and Colapinto as its 2027 line-up. They are not competing for a single seat. They must work together as the team attempts to move towards the front of Formula 1.
Colapinto is not responsible — but cannot completely escape the consequences
There is no evidence that Colapinto has encouraged these campaigns. He has condemned abuse, defended Tsunoda and spoken about the damage caused by social-media attacks.
In August, the Argentine said Formula 1 needed to establish limits and argued that drivers could take a more active role in challenging toxic behaviour.
Responsibility belongs to those sending the messages. It would also be inaccurate to describe the conduct of a hostile minority as representative of Argentina’s entire audience. Colapinto’s support has brought energy, commercial investment and an enormous South American following back to Formula 1.
Nevertheless, the consequences increasingly affect the driver himself.
His management has warned that the attacks harm his reputation. Alpine has been forced to defend its integrity. Team-mates and rivals have received threats. Briatore is now prepared to restrict Colapinto’s media appearances because of the atmosphere surrounding him.
The pattern is no longer a collection of unrelated social-media controversies. At least five different groups — Doohan and his family, Tsunoda, Ocon, FIA stewards and Gasly’s family — have been targeted, prompting interventions from Colapinto, his management, Alpine, Briatore and the FIA.
Passion helped make Colapinto one of Formula 1’s most marketable young drivers. The central warning from those around him is now clear: when that passion becomes harassment, it works against the person supporters claim to be defending.
Colapinto and Gasly return to action at the Azerbaijan GP, where the Alpine pairing will continue preparations for their confirmed 2027 partnership.
F1 today: FAQ
What time is the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The race starts on Saturday at 12:00 UK, 07:00 ET and 15:00 local time in Baku. Qualifying begins on Friday at 13:00 UK and 08:00 ET.
Why is the Azerbaijan GP being held on Saturday?
The race was moved forward because Sunday, 27 September, is Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day. The full weekend shifted, with practice on Thursday and qualifying on Friday.
Can Kimi Antonelli win the 2026 F1 championship in Baku?
No. Antonelli leads George Russell by 81 points, but cannot secure the title in Azerbaijan. Singapore is his earliest mathematical opportunity.
Why did Briatore warn Franco Colapinto’s Argentine fans?
Briatore issued the warning after Pierre Gasly revealed that he, his girlfriend and members of his family had received threats following the Spanish GP. Briatore said Colapinto could stop speaking to Argentine television if the behaviour continued.
