Franco Colapinto has urged his supporters to stop attacking other Formula 1 drivers and personnel on social media.
The Alpine driver is in his first full season on the circuit and commands a strong following online. In recent months, his supporters have gone after drivers like Pierre Gasly and Lando Norris.
His teammate Gasly was targeted by fans after preventing Colapinto from overtaking him in the Madrid Grand Prix, with the Frenchman revealing his family members and girlfriend had also been subjected to abuse.
Norris suffered the wrath of Colapinto’s fans for suggesting that the Argentine doesn’t deserve a spot on the grid after he caused a crash in Baku at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Norris later rolled back his comments.
These incidents forced Colapinto to address his supporters in a social media post.
“I probably should have spoken to all of you sooner, but this is something that needs to be addressed, something we need to change and improve,” he said.
“I will always be grateful, and I genuinely feel incredibly fortunate to have had you all supporting me from the very beginning. I’m grateful for all the support you give me, for how you help me achieve results, and for how you constantly push me to aim higher.
“You help me and the team achieve our results, race after race, day after day, as we train and try to improve. And I’m genuinely grateful for all of that.
“I know it makes you incredibly proud when things go well for me, when I score points for myself and the team. And I have always been very grateful for that support.
“But sometimes, we go too far.
“Instead of supporting me, we end up criticising people and attacking other drivers, other colleagues, my teammates, my mechanics, my engineers -- people I work with every single day.
“I know you think you’re defending me, but you’re actually doing the opposite. You’re not helping me or my future.”