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Alpine has firmly denied claims that it has been sabotaging Franco Colapinto’s Formula 1 car, following a wave of online speculation that gained traction after the Chinese Grand Prix.
The accusations, largely driven by segments of Colapinto’s Argentinian fanbase on social media, centred on an alleged difference in car specification between the two Alpine drivers in Shanghai. After finishing 10th in the race — 49 seconds behind team-mate Pierre Gasly — Colapinto pointed to areas where he felt improvements were needed.
Part of that deficit was the result of contact with Esteban Ocon, but Colapinto also highlighted performance concerns: “We need to understand a few things on the high-speed corners that we lack and also get more performance on my car. The bits I don't have on mine, it would really help as well to have them soon.”
Those remarks sparked online backlash. Some fans accused the team of favouring Gasly, with one claiming the “difference between the engineers, and the rest of the team, of both drivers is abysmal,” while another described Colapinto’s car as “a bicycle.” Others labelled Alpine a “meat grinder” for its second driver, and one post even alleged that the team’s only competitive car had been given to “the worst driver they have.”
In response, Alpine issued an open letter categorically rejecting any suggestion of deliberate inequality.
“It’s absolutely not in the team’s interests to not score points and any suggestion of self sabotage isn’t conducive to that ultimate end goal,” the statement read.
The team clarified that both drivers have been running identical machinery this season, with the exception of minor, low-performance-impact parts in China due to a gearbox component change.
“Both Pierre and Franco have been running with the same equipment, barring some small low-performance impacting parts in China due to switching gearbox components.”
Alpine also acknowledged that, in certain circumstances, development parts may reach one car before the other due to manufacturing constraints — but stressed that this is never intentional when performance gains are expected.
The statement went beyond technical parity and directly addressed the rise in online abuse targeting both Colapinto and others within the Formula 1 community.
Following the Japanese Grand Prix, Colapinto became the focus of criticism after an incident at Suzuka involving Oliver Bearman, which resulted in a 50G crash for the Haas driver. The collision was influenced by a 45km/h closing speed difference. Some pundits, including Timo Glock and Jacques Villeneuve, suggested Colapinto had moved as Bearman approached — a claim the Haas team has refuted.
The FIA reviewed the incident during the race and deemed that no further action was necessary.
Alpine condemned the hateful messages aimed at Colapinto, drawing parallels with the abuse Esteban Ocon received — including death threats — after his collision with Colapinto in Shanghai.
In its statement, Alpine admitted it had made an “oversight” in not defending Ocon sooner.
“The resulting abuse that followed was not in the spirit of the sport and was an oversight not to call it out sooner. Abuse of any kind to all drivers is unacceptable.”
The team stressed that social media should foster healthy debate rather than hostility, calling on the wider Formula 1 community to act with respect.
Addressing concerns over equal treatment, Alpine reiterated its commitment to providing both drivers with equal opportunity.
“The team endeavours to put the two fastest cars on track and provide equal opportunity for both drivers to be competitive and score important points for the team in the championship.”
It emphasised that there is no withholding of information or internal division within the engineering group.
“There’s no withholding of information or keeping performance tricks hidden away. That is very much a thing of the past and not part of modern Formula One.”
Alpine also highlighted the collaborative dynamic between Gasly and Colapinto, noting that both drivers regularly share data and feedback with each other and the engineering team.
From a competitive standpoint, the team described itself as being in a “strong position” after the opening three races of the season, stating that it has been the fourth-fastest car at the last two events. However, it acknowledged the need to keep pushing in a tightly contested development race.
With a short break before the next round in Miami, both drivers will spend time at the Enstone factory working with engineers and on the simulator. Colapinto, meanwhile, is set to return to Argentina to engage with fans.
Alpine’s message was clear: there is no internal sabotage, no split within the garage, and no strategic logic in compromising one side of the team.
“Franco is our driver and the team has placed its trust in him, just as he has with the team.”
In a season already charged with competitive pressure, Alpine has drawn a firm line — defending its drivers, rejecting unfounded claims, and urging unity within the Formula 1 community.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.