Franco Colapinto: "Nobody" mentions the social media harassment I endure after the incident in Baku.

Franco Colapinto has pointed out that “no one ever discusses” the significant amount of social media harassment he faces, especially in light of his recent incident at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The Alpine driver overshot Turn 1 during a safety car restart in Baku last weekend, colliding with teammate Pierre Gasly and McLaren’s Lando Norris.

This led to an irate Norris, who, prior to reviewing the incident, called for drivers to receive race suspensions for causing collisions like Colapinto did.

Consequently, Colapinto became the target of significant online abuse, predominantly from his supporters in Argentina — a familiar occurrence for him.

In response, Alpine issued a statement denouncing such vitriol, marking the fourth time the French team has had to address this issue since Colapinto joined them at the beginning of 2025.

However, the 23-year-old reminded everyone that he is not immune to such hostility and that it is a broader problem that extends beyond the recent grand prix fallout.

“My message remains consistent,” he stated on Thursday at Sepang. “At times, they don't grasp the impact of their words typed from behind a screen. We are all quite sensitive; we are human beings.

“It’s challenging for us to deal with this kind of situation. I believe it often points back to Argentinians. We tend to overlook that this animosity doesn’t only stem from them.

“It certainly originates from them, and I completely acknowledge that, but it’s not exclusive to them. They are deeply passionate and supportive of me. However, they can also be quite harsh at times.

“This negativity comes from all over the globe and various fanbases. I’m not sure if we’re fully aware of this. I receive a lot of it. No one ever brings it up.

“I mean, it’s alright, particularly since I don’t engage much with social media; I don’t delve into it, but I understand it affects numerous individuals, many drivers, and athletes more than it does me.

“I hope for improvement. I’ve been advocating for this for quite some time; it’s complicated for us drivers to manage it. I think we’re the ones less affected.

“But we are also genuinely struggling to enhance the situation on our own, as we have made attempts.

"For me, it’s been an ongoing discussion since last year. I’m doing my utmost, but it’s challenging to instigate change.”

Colapinto thus believes that drivers should ‘collaborate’ to enhance the situation — one that prompted Norris to later apologize for his remarks — and be mindful of their words.

“I think he was caught up in the moment,” the Argentine noted. “Certainly, he understands the consequences of such comments because he has experienced it himself.

“He was likely the driver who spoke out the most about hate just a few seasons ago.

“So, while I was a bit taken aback, he did apologize, of course. Regrettably, he also faced a great deal of backlash for it. It’s a complex scenario with the external world.

“That’s why I feel it’s crucial to be cautious with our statements. I completely understand how easy it is to say things in the heat of the moment.”

F1 is set to host the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia this weekend, with Colapinto facing separate penalties of five and ten places on the grid due to his Baku incident and an engine change.  

Photos from F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia - Friday