Alpine have publicly condemned the wave of online harassment and hateful messages that have been directed at drivers and other members of the Formula 1 community since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix incident in which Franco Colapinto caused a three‑car pile‑up involving his teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren's Lando Norris. The crash occurred on the first safety‑car restart in Baku when Colapinto braked too late, locked his wheels and slid into the side of Gasly at Turn 1. Gasly was then forced straight into Norris' car, sending all three machines 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.
"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 said. Alpine added that the online vitriol was directed not only at Colapinto but also at other members of the Formula 1 family, including journalists, rival teams and the sport’s governing bodies. All three drivers retired with damaged cars.
Colapinto issued an apology to his teammate, the Alpine team and to Norris, describing the incident as "a big mistake". 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 shortly after the crash, suggested that drivers who cause similar incidents should face a race‑long ban.
He also said, "there are some drivers who shouldn't be in Formula 1, to be honest," reflecting the frustration felt by many fans and competitors after the chaotic restart. Alpine has previously spoken out against the online hate that followed other incidents involving Colapinto, who enjoys a large following in his native Argentina. The team reiterated its stance, stating: "As a team, we feel it's necessary to speak out once more about the hate and abuse online following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Not only aimed at one of our own drivers, but also members of the Formula One community, including media, and to our racing counterparts who we respect, admire, and revel competing against in the pinnacle of motorsport. Mistakes happen when racing at the limit and no matter the result or outcome, nobody should be subject to hateful or abusive comments." Alpine emphasized that it sees a responsibility to help find solutions to the problem. The team pledged to work closely with the sport’s promoter, the commercial rights holder, and the FIA to develop measures that curb abusive behaviour while encouraging healthy rivalry, which is a hallmark of Formula 1.
Flavio Briatore, Alpine's executive advisor, said on Saturday that the team would take time to reflect on the appropriate response to Colapinto's "very poor" error. He noted that Gasly had been running a solid seventh place before the incident, while Colapinto was in tenth. The collision cost Alpine seven championship points, a significant loss in the tight battle for fifth place in the Constructors' Championship. The stewards' report detailed the sequence of events: after the restart, Colapinto approached Gasly from behind into Turn 1, braked too late, and entered the corner on the inside at a speed that prevented a controlled turn.
He overshot the apex, struck the left‑hand side of Gasly's car, which then collided with Norris. The officials judged Colapinto wholly or predominantly at fault, applying the standard ten‑second penalty, later converted to a five‑grid‑place drop because he retired. In the aftermath, Alpine’s Arvid Lindblad managed to finish seventh, extending the gap between Racing Bulls and Alpine in the fight for fifth in the Constructors' standings to 15 points with eight rounds remaining.
Briatore expressed disappointment at the lost points, saying: "Obviously I'm extremely disappointed with the outcome of today's race, knowing we lost valuable points in the championship fight. These sorts of incidents shouldn't happen, particularly when we were running well with both cars in point‑scoring positions. I feel very sorry for the team and for Pierre who did a great job all weekend and my apologies also go to Lando and McLaren for ruining their race.
I know that Franco has taken full responsibility for it, as he should; in fact he braked far too late considering the context of the race and the safety‑car restart. It was a very poor move for a driver of his experience. I want to take time to reflect on it and consider what course of action should be taken, so we can learn from it and avoid such a situation in future." When asked about Norris' suggestion to ban a driver for a race, the podium finishers all agreed that a suspension would be excessive for a mistake of this nature.
Race winner George Russell said a ban would be "too harsh" and highlighted how safety‑car restarts on cold tyres can turn a minor error into a major incident. He added that bans should be reserved for drivers who act deliberately reckless or dangerous.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen, who finished second, echoed that sentiment, noting that Colapinto had acknowledged his error and apologized, and that a race ban would be disproportionate. Third‑place finisher Isack Hadjar also backed the view, pointing out the challenging conditions at Baku—bumpy track surface, low tyre temperatures after a safety‑car period, and the narrow street circuit leaving little room for error. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella said the team trusts the stewards to make the right call but also expects drivers to exercise common sense, especially on circuits where the margin for error is slim. He stressed that penalties should reflect the specific characteristics of each track and that drivers must learn from past incidents to avoid repeat occurrences.
The controversy underscores a broader issue within Formula 1: the rise of toxic online behaviour towards drivers, teams and officials. Alpine's firm stance, combined with statements from the FIA and other teams, signals a growing determination to combat abuse and preserve the sport's reputation. As the championship moves to Malaysia for the first time since 2017, the focus will shift back to on‑track performance, but the conversation about online conduct is likely to continue throughout the season.