Alpine driver Franco Colapinto has asked his fanbase to stop directing online abuse at other Formula 1 drivers and figures within the sport because it is "not helping" his career. After becoming the first Argentine driver to compete in F1 for more than 20 years when he was drafted in by Williams midway through the 2024 season, Colapinto has received huge support from his home nation. However, since Colapinto joined Alpine in 2025, the team have had to issue several statements condemning online hate and abuse following incidents involving the 23-year-old driver.
Colapinto had previously spoken out against online abuse but suggested on several occasions that it was a societal issue rather than a specific problem with his fanbase. His position now appears to have changed. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player In a video posted on social media, Colapinto said: "Hello everyone.
There's something very important that I've needed to talk to you about for some time. "I probably should have spoken to all of you sooner, but this is something that needs to be addressed, something we need to change and improve. "I will always be grateful, and I genuinely feel incredibly fortunate to have had you all supporting me from the very beginning.
"I'm grateful for all the support you give me, for how you help me achieve results, and for how you constantly push me to aim higher. "You help me and the team achieve our results, race after race, day after day, as we train and try to improve. And I'm genuinely grateful for all of that.
"I know it makes you incredibly proud when things go well for me, when I score points for myself and the team. And I have always been very grateful for that support. "Instead of supporting me, we end up criticising people and attacking other drivers, other colleagues, my team-mates, my mechanics, my engineers - people I work with every single day.
"I know you think you're defending me, but you're actually doing the opposite. You're not helping me or my future." There have been several notable incidents of drivers facing online abuse in situations that appeared to be related to Colapinto's fanbase. There was major hostility towards Jack Doohan at the start of the 2025 season before Alpine replaced the Australian driver with Colapinto after just six rounds.
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