Franco Colapinto tells fans online abuse is damaging his future

Franco Colapinto has delivered his clearest rebuke yet to supporters who target rivals and members of his own team online, warning that their attacks are hurting rather than helping him.

In a video posted on Instagram on Thursday, the Argentine thanked fans for their support but said their conduct had crossed a line. He singled out abuse aimed at other drivers, his team-mates and the people he works with, including mechanics and engineers.

Colapinto says attacks undermine the support he values

Colapinto said fans might believe they were defending him, but their actions were having the opposite effect. He explained that he appreciated the backing he had received since the beginning of his career and credited supporters with helping him and the team pursue results.

But he said that encouragement could not excuse attacks on others. The message marks a stronger intervention than his earlier comments on the issue, when he described the behaviour as unpleasant and argued that online abuse was not confined to Argentinian fans.

The latest incidents followed the Zandvoort, Madrid and Baku races. Hateful comments were directed at FIA stewards, Pierre Gasly and his family, and Lando Norris, among others. Alpine has repeatedly issued statements seeking to curb the abuse during the 2026 season.

The backlash has also surrounded on-track incidents. Colapinto caused a Turn 1 pile-up in Azerbaijan, after which he stressed that abusive messages came from multiple fanbases, even while acknowledging that some of the behaviour came from his own supporters. Readers can revisit the context in our report on Colapinto’s Baku collision penalty.

His Alpine seat is settled for 2027

Colapinto’s appeal comes with his immediate future secured: he agreed a new deal with Alpine for the 2027 season in August. The 23-year-old is 12th in the 2026 standings on 27 points, while team-mate Gasly is 10th with 41.

The driver said the support he receives makes him grateful, particularly when he scores points for himself and the team. His message, however, was direct: backing him should not mean attacking the people around him or other competitors. Alpine’s announcement of his continued place with the team is covered in our report on Colapinto’s 2027 deal.