Alpine have publicly denounced the wave of online harassment and hateful messages that have been directed at drivers and other members of the Formula 1 community since the incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Franco Colapinto was involved in a three‑car collision with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris. The accident unfolded on the first safety‑car restart in Baku when Colapinto, attempting to regain his position, braked too late into Turn 1, locked his wheels and struck the side of his teammate 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 the condemnation of abusive behaviour on social media is not aimed at any single fan base, team or driver, but is a universal call to all followers of 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. The statement underscored Alpine's commitment to stand with the FIA, other teams and the wider Formula 1 family in eradicating toxic commentary that has become increasingly common after high‑profile incidents. All three drivers retired with damaged cars.
Colapinto issued an apology to his teammate, the Alpine team and to Norris, describing his mistake as "a big error". Because he retired, he could not serve the ten‑second time penalty handed down by the stewards, so the penalty was converted into a five‑place grid drop for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Norris, speaking in the immediate aftermath, suggested that drivers who cause such incidents should face a race ban and added that "there are some drivers who shouldn't be in Formula 1, to be honest". His remarks sparked a broader debate among the podium finishers about the appropriate level of punishment for mistakes made under the extreme pressures of a safety‑car restart.
Alpine has a history of speaking out against online hate, particularly after previous incidents involving Colapinto, who enjoys a large fan base in Argentina. The team reiterated that the abuse was not only directed at their driver but also at members of the media, other teams and the sport itself.
"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 emphasized its responsibility as a major stakeholder to work with the sport's promoters, rights‑holders and governing bodies to develop solutions that curb online abuse while preserving healthy competition. Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor, said he would take time to reflect on the incident and consider what further actions might be necessary.
He described Colapinto's error as "very poor" and highlighted the lost points: Gasly had been running a solid seventh while Colapinto was tenth, and the collision cost Alpine seven championship points. The stewards' report detailed the sequence of events: after the restart, Colapinto approached Gasly from behind, braked too late, entered the corner on the inside at an uncontrolled speed, overshot the apex and made contact with the left‑hand side of Gasly's car.
Gasly then collided with Norris, resulting in the retirement of all three cars. The stewards judged Colapinto wholly or predominantly at fault and applied the standard ten‑second time penalty, which was later converted to a five‑place grid drop because the driver had already retired.
In the wake of the incident, Arvid Lindblad, who had been running behind the Alpines, inherited seventh place, extending Racing Bulls' lead over Alpine in the fight for fifth in the Constructors' Championship to 15 points with eight rounds remaining. During the post‑race press conference, the podium finishers – George Russell, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar – all agreed that a race ban would be excessive for a mistake of this nature. Russell described the penalty as "too harsh", noting that safety‑car restarts on cold tyres can magnify even a small error.
Verstappen echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Colapinto had taken responsibility and that a ban should be reserved for intentional, dangerous actions. Hadjar added that the circuit conditions – a bumpy street layout and low tyre temperatures – contributed to the incident, making a harsh sanction inappropriate.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella expressed confidence in the stewards' judgment, while also reminding drivers that common sense must guide their actions, especially on demanding street circuits where there is little runoff. He highlighted the need for drivers to draw on experience and to exercise extra caution in the first corner after a safety‑car period. Alpine's press release concluded with a reaffirmation of the team's disappointment over the lost points and an apology to Gasly, Norris and McLaren for the ruined race. Briatore reiterated his intention to reflect on the incident and to consider internal measures to prevent a recurrence.
The broader issue of online abuse remains a focal point for Formula 1. Alpine pledged to continue collaborating with the sport's promoter and the FIA to develop tools and policies that protect participants from hostile commentary while encouraging the spirited rivalry that makes Formula 1 unique.
The next race will see Alpine's drivers start five places further back due to the penalty, and the team will aim to recover the points lost in Baku as the championship moves to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix.