Franco Colapinto explains 'last act' behind 'hate side' condemnation video

Franco Colapinto has revealed he felt releasing a video statement was the "last thing" he could do to try to halt a wave of online abuse directed at fellow drivers and his own Alpine mechanics and engineers from the "hate side" of his own fanbase.

The Argentine's video, posted on his social media channels after Singapore, followed a season in which Alpine has repeatedly had to intervene over the conduct of parts of Colapinto's fanbase.

Some supporters attached to Colapinto's rapid rise have used the driver's online platforms to direct hostile and abusive messages at rival drivers, as well as at the mechanics and engineers working directly with Colapinto at Alpine.

Colapinto said he felt compelled to act personally after witnessing the toll the abuse was taking on people close to him within the team.

Discussing why he released a video statement, Colapinto told select media, including RacingNews365: "I love this sport. First of all, I'm very grateful to all the fans supporting me, and I think in every sport and every fan base, there's a bad side, the hate side, and people posting bad comments that don't help athletes perform at their best."

"To me, it crossed a few lines lately. I talked a lot about it, and I think it was probably the last thing I could do to make a statement. Me talking and making a video like that was always going to be positive, so I was keen to do it.

"Especially as my mechanics and engineers also got a lot of hate. These are people from my team who want me to do well and help me perform, and I'm working with them daily, yet they're getting these kinds of messages.

"It just hurts me in general, and of course, other drivers are receiving them as well. But that's something we talk about constantly. I've been talking about it for the last 10 races, probably."

Max Verstappen also urging for end of online abuse in motorsport

Alpine has already issued multiple public statements across the campaign addressing the issue, including an open letter in April following flashpoints in China and Japan involving Colapinto, and a further condemnation after September's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, when a safety car restart crash eliminated Lando Norris and Pierre Gasly and triggered a fresh torrent of abuse. 

That wave of hostility, according to reports at the time, targeted Norris, team personnel and members of the media.

The issue has not been confined to Colapinto's fanbase. Max Verstappen also released a statement condemning online abuse after his GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup outing at Portimao, where his teammate Chris Lulham was targeted following an on-track collision that led to a drive-through penalty.

Colapinto pointed to that intervention as evidence of a wider problem spreading across the sport.

"So I do my best," continued Colapinto. "I think, again, it kept crossing some lines. So the last thing I thought I could do was make a video, and I think it helped.

"You saw Max make a statement about it as well. So, again, it's happening a lot, and there is an issue with that in sport nowadays, as well as in many different areas: music artists, actors, it's everywhere.

"The entity that we try to give is personal. On my side, it doesn't hurt me too much because I don't look at it too much. I don't put too much tension on it, and I don't give it too much importance. But for some, it does, and we need to pay attention to it and improve the situation. So hopefully it does."

Franco Colapinto hopeful video statement will improve online abuse situation

Unfortunately, Colapinto's own team have been targeted on several occasions, a further line crossed in his eyes.

Asked whether the abuse towards his engineers and mechanics was also taking place online, Colapinto replied: "Well, I don't have their phones. Honestly, I don't know. But from what I understand, they received messages and comments. It just, again, crossed the line.

"I don't want to talk about this too much. I talked about it on my social media, and I'm talking about it now. It's again something that I want to stop talking about every weekend. That's why I also read a statement: to focus on racing and not be talking about this constantly.

"But I hope it helps. Again, for me, it crossed a couple of lines lately, and the last thing I could do was this, and hopefully it improves the situation slightly."