Flavio Briatore has warned that Alpine could stop Franco Colapinto from speaking to Argentinian media if the driver’s fans continue abusing teammate Pierre Gasly online.
The threat follows Gasly’s revelation that he and his family had received abuse from fans after an incident between the Alpine teammates at the Madrid Grand Prix.
Gasly was running on a slower tyre ahead of Colapinto, and the team did not instruct him to let the Argentine through before he pitted.
The incident has led to Gasly speaking out on the level of abuse he has received in the aftermath, describing it as “a little bit disturbing for our sport.”
“I’m a top athlete, so I know I’m exposed; it’s always been the case,” the Frenchman continued. “But the extent of the threats, attacks, I find completely inappropriate, especially when it reaches out to family members, girlfriend, etc.”
Speaking to ESPN, Briatore, Alpine’s executive advisor, said Colapinto’s supporters needed to “support him in the right way” or risk the driver cutting off Argentinian media altogether.
“If the Argentinians want to support Franco, they [should] support Franco clean, loyal, not what I see on social media,” he said.
“If not, at one point Franco will stop talking with everybody, because if I see every time we have a lot of anger from the fans, and this and that, for no reason, if the people are like that then we will stop the interviews with the Argentinian television, we will stop everything, because it doesn’t make sense what I’m reading on social media.”
Flavio Briatore calls for ‘correct’ support for Colapinto
Briatore said Argentina was fortunate to have a driver of Colapinto’s potential, adding that the 23-year-old was still developing.
“You’re lucky, in Argentina you have a promising driver,” he said. “This year he is much better. We need to support him.
“We need to support Franco, we welcome the Argentinian people, but we need to be correct as well.”
It is not the first time Colapinto’s fanbase has drawn criticism this season. Esteban Ocon received death threats after a collision with Colapinto at the Chinese GP, while the FIA condemned comments made by Colapinto’s sponsor, Mercado Libre, following his penalty at the Dutch GP.
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