Franco Colapinto has delivered his strongest message yet to some of his own supporters, warning that online attacks against rival Formula 1 drivers and members of Alpine are not defending him — they are making his career more difficult.
In an Instagram video posted on October 14, 2026, the Argentine driver thanked fans for the extraordinary support that has followed him through Formula 1 but said some reactions have crossed a line. He specifically referenced criticism and attacks directed at other drivers, teammates, mechanics and engineers — people he works with throughout the season.
“I know you think you’re defending me, but you’re actually doing the opposite,” Colapinto said, before telling followers that the behavior was not helping him or his future. He also said he had stepped back from social media to focus more closely on his racing career and asked supporters to help stop the abuse collectively.
The appeal follows several incidents in which online hostility intensified around Colapinto. After the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, FIA stewards were subjected to abuse after penalizing him for overtaking under double yellow flags. The FIA condemned the harassment and explored possible legal responses.
A few weeks later, Pierre Gasly said both he and members of his family received abusive messages after the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. The controversy began after Gasly remained ahead of Colapinto late in the race despite the Argentine closing on older tires. Gasly called the subsequent threats “completely inappropriate.”
The tension escalated again in Azerbaijan. Colapinto locked his front tires during a Safety Car restart at Turn 1 and collided with Gasly, who then collected McLaren’s Lando Norris. Colapinto accepted responsibility and apologized for what he called a major mistake. Norris initially suggested a race ban should be considered, comments he later withdrew and apologized for after reviewing the incident.
Norris, Gasly and others then faced another wave of online abuse. Alpine responded publicly, saying mistakes are part of racing and that nobody should be subjected to hateful or abusive comments. Importantly, the team said the problem should not be blamed exclusively on one driver’s supporters and described online abuse as a wider issue across motorsport.
Colapinto himself has made a similar point. After Baku, he said much of the hostility does come from Argentine accounts but emphasized that he also receives abuse from other fanbases and that toxic behavior is not unique to his supporters. His latest video nevertheless marks a clear escalation in how directly he is addressing his own following.
His warning about his “future” should not be interpreted as confirmation that Alpine is preparing to drop him. The team announced in August that Colapinto will remain alongside Gasly for the 2027 season, with Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore saying the Argentine had grown and matured and belonged in Formula 1.
Colapinto is currently 12th in the 2026 drivers’ standings with 27 points, compared with Gasly’s 41 points in 10th. With his immediate seat secured, the message is broader: Colapinto wants the enormous passion surrounding his career to strengthen his relationship with Alpine and Formula 1 — not turn every on-track disagreement into another online battle.
