Formula 1: Alpine issued a strong statement for Colapinto's Argentine fans

The debut of Franco Colapinto in Formula 1 with Alpine continues to generate repercussions, but this time the focus was off the track. After replacing Jack Doohan at the Imola Grand Prix, the Argentine driver was in the spotlight not only for his debut in the category but also for an unexpected controversy on social media that forced the French team to intervene with a statement that, implicitly,  alluded to Argentine fans.

The tension began on Monday morning, when the Australian denounced that "Argentine fans" had spread false content on the internet. On his Instagram account, he shared a manipulated image that simulated a post from his father, Mick Doohan, mocking the accident Colapinto suffered during the first qualifying session at Imola.

"As you can see, the story circulating above is completely false. It was invented by Argentine fans who were trying to portray me and my family negatively," wrote the Australian reserve driver. In his statement, he also requested an end to the attacks: "This type of content is very harmful".

However, he later moderated his statements, after the massive backlash they caused among Argentine users. "The source is not Argentine. However, several Argentine media falsely reported on the invented image," he clarified.

Alpine's response to the conflict between Doohan and the fans

The clash quickly escalated on social media and caused discomfort within Alpine's environment, which decided to issue an official statement. Although not directly naming Colapinto, Doohan, or the fans involved, the team was clear in its message of repudiation of the attacks.

"As a Formula 1 team, we believe we are fortunate to be part of a global sport that evokes great passion and emotions (…) We encourage everyone to remember that behind the visor of these athletes is a person, a friend, an individual who has feelings, family, and loved ones. As a team, we can't tolerate online abuse and urge all fans of this sport we love to be kind and respectful," the statement expressed.

Although it did not address Argentines explicitly,  the content and context of the text were interpreted as an attempt to calm the waters and call for reflection on behavior on digital platforms. Meanwhile, Franco Colapinto preferred to stay out of the controversy and has not made any public statements on the matter so far.