The toxic backpack that Franco Colapinto carries on his shoulders as he returns to Formula 1

Franco Colapinto's return to Alpine has once again brought into sharp focus the way the virtual world impacts the real lives of its protagonists and the sport. This disruptive energy is amplified by the media and social networks themselves when they capture the geeky antics of a few. How to manage such a phenomenon is another story, but it could get worse in Formula 1.

A victim of his own success, the following of new generations is growing, with different tools for individual expression, in many cases high-octane emotionally, and with little knowledge of the sport. Colapinto has become a guinea pig for the phenomenon , despite his determined preventive attempts. He had his first taste of it as soon as he debuted with Alpine . If the future continues like this around the Argentine driver, his life won't be easy. Nor will it be for Formula 1.

Doohan, the first victim

Colapinto is the epicenter of a collective energy that combines boundless passion and a national fan base steeped in motorsports tradition. The young Argentine driver became a social phenomenon with his unexpected and explosive arrival in Formula 1. The prospects created by Alpine placing him on the bench like a hanging sword over Jack Doohan filled the room with energy. All that was needed was the first match. It arrived in Imola.

Already in the preseason, Colapinto's manager, Jamie Campbell Walter, issued messages about the matter. "Those who hate and think they're helping Franco are doing him more harm than good," he wrote on social media. "Insults to the team, to Jack, and sometimes to other Alpine fans, Franco and all of us who support him, we're fans of the whole team, including Pierre and Jack." The former British driver was right; Colapinto is the one most affected , and what happened at Imola backed him up.

Doohan was a scapegoat from the very beginning. Australian photographer Kym Illman, close to the Australian driver, revealed that the Australian driver needed an escort in Miami, as a group of deranged individuals obtained his email address and bombarded him with threats, including those directed at his girlfriend and family. From a psychological standpoint, his weekend was complicated. It ended in an accident. It was his last race.

At Imola, Colapinto already wanted to put the bandage before the wound was broken on Thursday . "The Argentine fans, and I believe the Latin American fans, are very passionate, very euphoric, and they love to support their athletes and the people they feel close to. They've always supported us a lot, but I think we always try to maintain respect for all the drivers on the grid; that's the main thing the fans should do and something we need to improve." Within a few hours, all hell had broken loose.

Two matches for the explosion

"I blocked him yesterday. I was right. I blocked quite a few people yesterday. It was my first day with the car and the team. There are always misunderstandings, and it's a bit complicated," Colapinto admitted when, during his debut with Alpine, he was a bit lost on the track. After inadvertently blocking Yuki Tsunoda, he received a "greeting" from the Japanese driver . Some of the Argentinian's fans went for Tsunoda's throat. Not everyone, of course, pays the price for the innocent.

"I know they're extremely passionate and always very tough on people. They have to show respect, and that's what we all want. There's a lot of hate on social media these days. Of course, we always try and want, for all the drivers, to remain calm and respectful." Colapinto made another plea for calm. To no avail.

On Saturday, the second episode was even more serious. When Colapinto suffered his Q1 accident, an Instagram account published a fake montage using the Instagram account of Mick Doohan, the driver's father, showing the crashed Alpine. "Very impressive," the post read. What was simply a fake game spread across the networks at lightning speed.

Particularly in Argentina, major mainstream media outlets echoed the message. In their wake, social media ignited again . The creators of the montage deleted it and apologized, but the damage was done. Were the creators to blame, or more so the mass-disseminators?

Jack Doohan issued a heartfelt and harsh statement that revealed how dangerously the issue was spiraling out of control. "They edited the original content to make it look like my father posted it, which is completely false. Please stop harassing my family. I never thought it would have to come to this." He later clarified: "The source is not Argentine. However, several Argentine media outlets falsely reported on the fabricated image that sparked the online abuse against my family."

Campaigns without operational capacity

The issue has reached such a level that Alpine intervened with a statement defending Doohan and urging calm. "We encourage everyone to remember that behind the visors of these superhuman athletes is a person—a person with feelings, family, friends, and loved ones."

The FIA ​​was also forced to intervene, with its president, Ben Sulayem, speaking out on Instagram . "I fully support Yuki Tsunoda and Franco Colapinto, and thank them for speaking out against the growing problem of online abuse in motorsport," the president declared. "No one should be subjected to threats, hate, or discrimination. There is no place for abuse or toxicity in our community. Through the United Against Online Abuse campaign, we are taking decisive action."

Sulayem was referring to the campaign launched in 2022 after the United States Grand Prix, when an FIA ​​steward was subjected to online abuse and harassment. Also that year, and in collaboration with the drivers, FOM created another Drive It Out campaign, following the incidents at the Austrian Grand Prix involving spectators and fans. These initiatives appear to have been left in virtual limbo, judging by the results, and without the slightest coercive power.

The impact of the most negative aspects of social media is nothing new, but the arrival of Franco Colapinto has already exacerbated it in his first race with Alpine. As Campbell Walter pointed out, it's the Argentine who could pay the price. Because the problem could worsen with his presence, especially when the media's loudspeaker worsens the situation.

In the United States, the NBA and players' associations are using artificial intelligence platforms to monitor toxic messages. In 2021, teams in the English Premier League, the Women's Super League, and the Women's Championship decided to shut down their social media channels for four days due to racist online attacks against some of their players, and to demand that tech companies implement an active monitoring policy.

If anything distinguishes Formula 1, it's its proactive and responsive capacity to address challenges, such as the pandemic, from which it emerged stronger. What will your response be to the online abuse that is exploding under Franco Colapinto?