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 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Franco Colapinto was involved in a three‑car collision with Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris. The incident unfolded on the first Safety Car restart in Baku when Colapinto braked too late, locked his wheels and clipped the side of his teammate Gasly. Gasly’s car was then propelled into the side of Norris' McLaren, ending the race for all three competitors. 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 wrote. The statement continued, "We, as a proud participant and stakeholder in the sport, feel a responsibility to speak out and to help find solutions. We will keep working with the championship promoter, the rights‑holder and the governing body to tackle online abuse and to promote the healthy rivalry that makes Formula 1 special." All three cars retired with significant damage. Colapinto issued an apology to his teammate, the Alpine team and to Norris, describing his mistake as "big".
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 immediately after the crash, suggested that drivers who cause similar 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 that magnitude.
The comments sparked a lively debate among the podium finishers. George Russell, the race winner, called a ban "too harsh" and argued that a race‑ban should be reserved for deliberate, dangerous actions rather than a misjudged braking point. Max Verstappen, who finished second, echoed this view, noting that Colapinto had taken responsibility and apologised, and that a ban would be excessive for a genuine error.
Alpine has previously spoken out against the online hate that sometimes follows incidents involving its drivers, particularly Colapinto, who enjoys a large fan base in Argentina. The team reiterated that the abuse was not only directed at a single driver but also at members of the broader Formula 1 community, including journalists and rival teams.
"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. Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor, said he would take time to reflect on the incident and consider appropriate internal actions.
He described Colapinto’s error as "very poor" and emphasized that Alpine had lost valuable championship points – seven in total – because both cars were forced to retire. The stewards’ report confirmed that Colapinto was wholly or predominantly at fault, noting that there was no mitigating contribution from another driver that would justify a more lenient first‑lap approach. The fallout from the crash also impacted the Constructors' Championship battle. With both Alpine cars out, Arvid Lindblad moved up to seventh place, extending Racing Bulls' lead over Alpine for fifth place to 15 points with eight rounds remaining in the season.
In the post‑race press conference, the podium finishers were asked about Norris' suggestion of a ban. Russell, Verstappen and Isack Hadjar all agreed that a suspension would be disproportionate.
Hadjar added that the street‑circuit nature of Baku, with its bumpy surface and limited runoff, makes any mistake more likely to have severe consequences. Andrea Stella, McLaren’s team principal, said the team trusted the stewards' decision but also highlighted the need for drivers to exercise common sense, especially on a circuit where a small error can quickly involve multiple cars. Alpine’s press release concluded with an apology to Pierre Gasly for the lost opportunity, to Lando Norris and McLaren for ruining their race, and a pledge to continue collaborating with the FIA and other stakeholders to develop measures that curb online abuse.
The team stressed that while penalties such as grid drops are necessary to enforce the rules, the sport must also protect its participants from toxic behaviour that undermines the spirit of competition. Looking ahead, Formula 1 returns to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for the Bahrain Grand Prix, marking the first Malaysian race since 2017.
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