Gasly and Colapinto Address Madrid GP Team Tensions and Online Abuse
Alpine F1 drivers Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly addressed a tense team-order incident at the Madrid Grand Prix, which sparked online abuse and threats against Gasly.
Tension at the Madrid Grand Prix
Alpine Formula 1 drivers Franco Colapinto and Pierre Gasly found themselves at the center of a tense moment during the Madrid Grand Prix, when the Argentine driver caught up with his teammate, who was driving at a slower pace and refused to let him pass. "There was no request to swap places as such," the French driver clarified on Wednesday, following death threats he received on social media.
"Personally, I think it's a bit worrying for our sport. To some extent, you know I'm an elite athlete, so I know I'm exposed, it has always been like that. But to the extent of receiving threats and attacks, that to me is a bit, well, even completely inappropriate, especially when it involves family members, partners, and so on," he said in an interview with Motorsport.
Race Incident and Team Resolution
The incident between the drivers occurred in the final laps of the Madrid GP. Gasly, who was due to pit, lapped the circuit at a slower pace, allowing Oscar Piastri to get dangerously close to Colapinto, who shouted on the radio demanding a position swap. Eventually, the Frenchman pitted, and the Argentine driver managed to finish in seventh place, ahead of the McLaren driver.
"I think the team handled it well, and I think we always try to learn from these things and situations, so I hope we learn from it and can move on," Colapinto explained.
Regarding the online abuse Gasly suffered from fans, Colapinto noted that many people sent him messages, which is unacceptable. Both drivers emphasized that they get along well and that the team has addressed the internal dynamics constructively.
