– Hate messages and death threats on the internet have become so prevalent in recent weeks that the Alpine Formula 1 team has now decided to write an open letter to the Formula 1 community. This is because there have recently been some unpleasant reactions, especially surrounding Franco Colapinto.
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It is his Argentine fans who repeatedly overshoot the mark and incite against everything that supposedly stands in the way of their hero’s career – and they do not stop at accusations against their own team, which Alpine also wants to clarify.
“After reviewing the reactions on the internet and social media following the Japanese Grand Prix, we as a team feel that we owe it to our fans to address certain points and questions raised,” the racing team wrote on Thursday.
“In addition, we want to speak out once again against the hate and abuse directed not only at one of our own drivers, but also at our sporting competitors and other members of the Formula 1 family.”
The team once again condemns “hateful behavior, abuse, threats, or bullying” on the internet and social networks. “In a highly competitive and complex sport, people will always have different opinions and disagree, but we encourage all fans of every team and every driver to do so in a kind and respectful manner.”
“This is not about a specific fan base, but about the entire Formula 1 community coming together to enjoy the sport we all love and are passionate about,” said Alpine.
Hate comments against Ocon and Colapinto
After the Chinese Grand Prix in mid-March, there were hostilities from fans against Haas pilot Esteban Ocon because he had collided with Colapinto during the race, costing him several positions and points.
“Esteban took full responsibility and apologized to Franco by actively seeking him out in the media pen and also apologizing on social media. The resulting abuse that followed was not in the spirit of the sport, and it was a failure not to denounce this sooner,” Alpine also questioned its own behavior.
“Abuse of any kind towards all drivers is unacceptable, and it was particularly disappointing that it came from a minority of the team’s fans towards a driver who has given so much to the team in the past and is a Grand Prix winner for Alpine.”
Similarly, however, there were also hostilities against Colapinto after the race in Japan, who had co-triggered an accident involving Oliver Bearman with his driving style. Alpine also condemns these.
“The most important thing first of all is the safety and well-being of the drivers, and fortunately Ollie is well. Closing speeds are a characteristic of these cars and, as explained by the FIA, will be closely reviewed in the coming weeks,” the team wrote, emphasizing that the FIA did not issue a penalty against any driver.
Alpine continued: “The team closely monitors its channels and uses certain tools to moderate comments that do not meet our community guidelines. This is something that we as a team are also in constant dialogue with Formula 1 and the FIA about, and which we want to address and mitigate together in the future.”
Alpine defends itself against sabotage allegations
Another topic Alpine wants to address in its letter is a possible unequal treatment of the two cars. It is striking that Pierre Gasly has been able to shine so far and has already scored 15 points, while Colapinto is usually significantly behind him and has only one point to his name.
Therefore, there were some allegations from the ranks of the fans that Alpine treats its drivers unequally and would disadvantage Colapinto.
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Alpine – Qualifying & Race
| Race | Gasly (Q) | Colapinto (Q) | Gasly (R) | Colapinto (R) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Australia | 14. | 16. (+0.769) | 10. | 14. (+1 lap) |
| China | 7. | 12. (+0.354) | 6. | 10. (+1 lap) |
| Japan | 7. | 15. (+0.753) | 7. | 16. (+33.4) |
However, Alpine brushes these allegations aside: “The team is committed to putting the two fastest cars on the track and giving both drivers the same opportunity to be competitive and collect important points for the team in the championship,” they emphasized.
“In some cases, due to the need to provide parts faster and carefully manage the manufacturing process, the team is only able to bring selected parts or upgrades to specific events.”
“However, this is never the intended or desired approach, because if a part is a performance upgrade, as we hope and intend, then we want to have it available on both cars immediately.”
“Not in the team’s interest not to score points”
This has been the case so far this year. Alpine clarifies that Gasly and Colapinto have been equipped with absolutely the same material so far, “apart from some small parts in China that had little impact on performance and were due to the change of gearbox components.”
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“Franco is our driver, and the team has placed its trust in him, just as he has in the team. This is a sign of the commitment we have towards Franco and his place in the team on an equal footing with Pierre,” the team said. Allegations of sabotage and unequal treatment are therefore “completely unfounded.”
But: “There may be times this year when upgrades arrive at one car first in the development race, which the team will communicate and be completely transparent about. That being said, the goal will always remain to bring upgrades to both cars whenever possible.”
“It is absolutely not in the team’s interest not to score points, and any suggestion of self-sabotage is not conducive to this ultimate end goal,” the racing team underlined. “We know that we have to work incredibly hard to stay [in a strong position] and have two cars that regularly have a chance at points.”
Good cooperation between Gasly and Colapinto
At the same time, Alpine emphasizes that the cooperation between both pilots is working well. “Pierre and Franco regularly visit each other’s desks in the engineering office to share data and feedback. As a team, we are lucky to have someone with Pierre’s experience, and as can be seen from his performances in the first races, he is an absolute professional and can consistently drive at an incredibly high level.”
“The engineering group is very united and pulling in the same direction. This includes both Pierre and Franco. No information is withheld or performance tricks kept secret. That belongs to the past and is not part of modern Formula 1, where you need every bit of input and data to be successful as a team.”
“This applies especially to these new cars, power units, and the strategic way of contesting races on the track.”
Alpine will use the break until the next race in Miami to process the previous three races, find ways to improve, and continue pushing to become even stronger. “On the track, our rivals will not rest or stand still, so neither will we,” the statement said.
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Alpine concludes with the words: “We really appreciate your continued support, it does not go unnoticed. Continue to follow our channels for regular updates; we will continue to provide you with more stories and behind-the-scenes content from the factory to show the team’s progress.”
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