Alpine have publicly denounced the wave of online harassment and hateful messages that have been directed at drivers and other figures in Formula 1 since the incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Franco Colapinto was involved in a three‑car collision with his teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren driver Lando Norris. The crash occurred on the first safety‑car restart of the Baku race when Colapinto braked too late into Turn 1, locked his wheels and clipped the side of Gasly. Gasly was then forced into the outside of Norris' McLaren, sending all three cars into the wall and ending their races.
In a statement released on Sunday, Alpine stressed that condemnation of social‑media abuse is not aimed at any single fan base, team or driver, but is a universal call for respect across the sport. "Condemning abuse on social media is not aimed at any one fan base or the supporters of one team or driver, this is universal and should be called out and recognised to all fans of the sport," the team wrote, emphasizing that the problem affects the entire Formula 1 community, including media personnel and rival teams.
All three drivers retired with damaged cars. Colapinto issued an apology to his teammate, the Alpine outfit and to Norris, describing his mistake as "a big error" and accepting responsibility for the incident. Because he retired, the ten‑second time penalty handed down by the stewards could not be served during the race, so it was converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Norris, speaking immediately after the crash, suggested that drivers who cause such incidents should face a race‑ban.
"There are some drivers who shouldn't be in Formula 1, to be honest," he said, adding that a one‑race suspension would be appropriate for a mistake of this magnitude. Other drivers, however, felt that a ban would be excessive. George Russell, the race winner, described a ban as "too harsh" and argued that penalties should be reserved for truly reckless or intentional actions. Max Verstappen, who finished second, echoed this sentiment, noting that while Colapinto's error was unfortunate, a race ban would be disproportionate.
Alpine has a history of speaking out against online hate directed at its drivers. The team reiterated its stance, stating that the abuse was not only aimed at Colapinto but also at other members of the Formula 1 community, including journalists and rival competitors.
"Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments," the statement read. Alpine also pledged to work with the sport's promoter, the rights‑holder, and the FIA to develop solutions that curb abusive behaviour while preserving healthy competition.
Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor, said he would take time to reflect on the appropriate response to Colapinto's "very poor" mistake. He noted that Gasly had been running a solid seventh place before the incident, with Colapinto in tenth, and that the collision cost Alpine seven championship points. The stewards' report concluded that Colapinto was wholly or predominantly at fault, citing his late braking and inability to control the car through the first corner.
Because there was no mitigating action from another driver, the usual leniency applied to first‑lap incidents was not invoked, leading to the standard ten‑second penalty, later converted to a five‑place grid drop. In the aftermath, Alpine's press release expressed disappointment at losing valuable points in the championship battle. "These sorts of incidents shouldn't happen, particularly when we were running well with both cars in point‑scoring positions," the release said, adding apologies to both Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris for the ruined races. Briatore also highlighted that Franco had taken full responsibility, describing his late braking as "a very poor move for a driver of his experience" and promising a careful review of any further disciplinary action.
The incident also impacted the Constructors' Championship battle. With both Alpine cars out, Arvid Lindblad capitalised to finish seventh, extending Racing Bulls' lead over Alpine for fifth place to 15 points with eight rounds remaining in the season. During the post‑race press conference, the podium finishers were asked about Norris's suggestion of a race ban. All three dismissed the idea as too severe.
Russell explained that safety‑car restarts on cold tyres can turn a small mistake into a major incident, and that bans should be reserved for deliberate dangerous conduct. Verstappen added that while the mistake was regrettable, a ban would be excessive, and Isack Hadjar pointed to the challenging nature of the Baku street circuit, noting its bumpy surface and limited grip after a safety‑car period as contributing factors.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the team trusts the stewards to make the right calls but also expects drivers to exercise common sense, especially on circuits like Baku where the margin for error is razor‑thin. He highlighted the need for prudence on street tracks that lack runoff areas, stressing that penalties should reflect the specific challenges of each venue. Looking ahead, Formula 1 will travel to Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit, marking the first Malaysian event since 2017.
Fans can follow the action live on Sky Sports F1 or stream via NOW, with the option to cancel at any time. Alpine, along with the broader F1 community, hopes that the sport can move past the incident, focus on competitive racing, and continue working to eliminate online abuse while preserving the passion that makes Formula 1 unique.