Alpine Condemns Colapinto Abuse and Denies Gasly Favoritism
- The Alpine Formula 1 team has issued a formal open letter to refute allegations that it has been sabotaging the competitive opportunities of driver Franco Colapinto.
- The statement, released on April 2, 2026, follows a period of social media abuse targeted at Colapinto.
- The controversy stems from a performance gap between the two Alpine drivers in the early stages of the 2026 season.
The Alpine Formula 1 team has issued a formal open letter to refute allegations that it has been sabotaging the competitive opportunities of driver Franco Colapinto. The team described the suggestions that It’s favoring teammate Pierre Gasly as completely unfounded
.
The statement, released on April 2, 2026, follows a period of social media abuse targeted at Colapinto. This backlash intensified after the 22-year-old Argentine driver was involved in a high-speed crash with Haas driver Oliver Bearman during the Japanese Grand Prix.
Addressing Performance Disparities
The controversy stems from a performance gap between the two Alpine drivers in the early stages of the 2026 season. Pierre Gasly, 30, has secured 15 points from the first three races, while Colapinto has earned a single point in the same period.
At the Japanese Grand Prix, Gasly finished in seventh place, while Colapinto finished 16th. These results led some fans to claim that the team was intentionally thwarting Colapinto’s chances or providing him with inferior equipment.
Franco is our driver and the team has placed its trust in him, just as he has with the team. That is an indication of the commitment we have to Franco and his place in the team with equal footing alongside Pierre. Any questions about sabotage or not giving Franco the same car are completely unfounded, which is why the team felt the need to speak out.
Alpine Open Letter
Alpine emphasized that jeopardizing the performance of either car would be contrary to the team’s best interests. After finishing last in 2025, the team has aimed for a more competitive return in 2026, noting that they have been the fourth fastest car at the last two races.
The team clarified its approach to development, stating that while upgrades may occasionally be delivered to one car first during the development race, the team will remain transparent about such decisions. The stated goal remains to bring upgrades to both cars whenever possible.
Incident Analysis and Online Abuse
The team’s open letter also condemned the hateful messages
aimed at Colapinto following the incident with Oliver Bearman in Japan. The crash was attributed to a speed differential of nearly 30mph; Colapinto had entered energy harvesting mode approaching the Spoon curve while Bearman was utilizing the boost button.
This follows another incident in Shanghai during the Chinese Grand Prix, where Colapinto was spun around by Haas driver Esteban Ocon. Although Colapinto recovered to finish 10th in that race, the event triggered further social media volatility.
Following the Shanghai collision, Ocon accepted full responsibility and apologized to Colapinto via social media and in the media pen. Despite this, Alpine reported that death threats were directed at Ocon.
The severity of the online reaction had previously prompted Colapinto’s management, Bullet Sports Management, to issue a public service announcement on X on March 15, 2026. The statement urged fans to refrain from sending hate messages or death threats to Ocon, his family, or the Haas F1 team.
Colapinto joined Alpine as a reserve driver in 2025 after signing from Williams. The team continues to maintain that both drivers are operating on equal footing as they seek a better overall finish in the 2026 standings.