The Formula 1 Alpine team has recently denied sabotage accusations directed at its second driver, Franco Colapinto. The allegations primarily arose on social media, fueled by a group of Argentine fans, and intensified after the Chinese Grand Prix, where there were differences in vehicle setups.
In the latest race in Shanghai, Colapinto finished in tenth place, 49 seconds behind his teammate, Pierre Gasly. After the competition, the driver expressed the need to extract more performance from his car, which did not initially have some components that his teammate did. This sparked negative reactions among his fans, who made extreme comparisons regarding the conditions of the two vehicles.
Alpine, in an attempt to smooth over the situation, explained that the sabotage accusations are completely unfounded. In their communication, the team stated that “there is no interest in not scoring points, and any suggestion of self-sabotage contradicts the team’s ultimate goal.” They also specified that both Colapinto and Gasly used similar equipment, except for minor components that were not significant during the Chinese race.
Additionally, the team addressed the abusive behavior Colapinto received following the race after an incident involving Oliver Bearman. Alpine termed the hostile comments as “very disappointing” and reiterated its stance against bullying and threats directed at any of its drivers.
In an open letter, Alpine reaffirmed that its priority is to provide fairness and opportunities to its drivers. The team also announced that it will continue to deliver updates and improvements simultaneously to both of its vehicles whenever possible, aiming to compete at the highest possible level. In the context of the early races of the season, the team claims to have a solid foundation and intends to increase its performance in upcoming competitions.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
