Alpine published an open letter after the Japan and China Grands Prix condemning online harassment and threats directed at Franco Colapinto and Esteban Ocon and urging fans to stop abusive behavior on social media. The team said abuse spiked around incidents at Suzuka Circuit and Shanghai International Circuit. It called for respect across the Formula 1 community.
The scale of the messages alarmed the team. Colapinto became a target after the high-impact crash with Ollie Bearman at Suzuka and after later events in China. Ocon then received death threats following a collision between the Alpine cars in Shanghai. Alpine said the tone and volume went far beyond fair debate about race incidents.
In its statement, Alpine condemned threats, bullying, and hate. It said it has a duty to respond when drivers and staff face harassment. The team urged fans to argue their views without insults or intimidation. It said healthy debate helps the sport, but abuse harms the people in it.
Alpine said it actively monitors its channels. It uses moderation tools to curb hateful content and raise the standard of conversations on its platforms.
The events in Japan and China triggered wider safety concerns. The Suzuka crash between Colapinto and Bearman drew attention because of the force of the impact. The Shanghai collision did the same by highlighting stress on drivers after on-track contact and the online fallout that can follow. The FIA reviewed the Suzuka incident and said it will examine closing-speed issues and related regulations. Alpine linked its appeal for restraint online to this focus on safety and wellbeing in and out of the car.
The team noted this is not the first time it has spoken out. It said it had faced similar situations before, including threats aimed at Jack Doohan. Alpine said it remains in dialogue with Formula 1 and the FIA to help reduce abuse, improve moderation, and support those under pressure. The letter was framed as a message to the whole F1 community, not only its own fans.
Alpine asked supporters to channel passion into constructive discussion. It said drivers, teams, officials, and fans should be able to engage without fear. The team wants social media spaces where people can disagree without hate. It said this standard should apply in the wake of hard races as well as during high points.
The open letter underlined that race incidents will keep drawing strong views. Alpine said the line should be clear between criticism and harassment. It pointed to its ongoing work with the sport’s organizers and regulators and to the tools it already uses on its own platforms. The team said it will keep reporting and removing abusive content where possible and will keep urging better behavior from all sides.
By addressing the abuse after Suzuka and Shanghai in one message, Alpine set out a simple request. It asked fans to respect drivers as people, keep arguments about racing, and help build a safer space for everyone around the sport. The team said that unity and calm discourse will help Formula 1 handle tense moments while it reviews safety matters raised by recent incidents.