In an appeal, Alpine driver Franco has addressed his fans, who have come under fire due to online hate: he has therefore decided to take a step back
Franco Colapinto has drawn his own conclusions from the recurring hostility online and has temporarily withdrawn from social media. The Alpine driver announced this in a short video statement on Instagram.
“Some time ago, I made the decision to step back from social media, take a break and focus on what really matters to me: my dream, my sporting career and working with the team to achieve the desired results and goals,” it states.
He is directing his words primarily at his fans and supporters from Argentina, who have repeatedly attracted attention in the recent past for openly posting hateful comments against fellow drivers, officials or even their own team.
” “There’s something very important I’ve needed to talk to you about for some time now. I should have discussed this with you all sooner, but it’s something we need to change, something we need to improve,” he says at the start of the video.
Colapinto: “It helps neither me nor my future”
First of all, he expresses his gratitude for the support that continually drives him and his team forward. “I know it makes you very proud when things go well for me and when I score points – for me and for the whole team – and I’ll always be grateful to you for that,” says Colapinto, before getting to the heart of the matter.
“But there are moments when we cross the line,” he says. “When, instead of supporting me, other riders, colleagues, my team-mates, my mechanics or my engineers – people I work with day in, day out – end up being criticised and attacked.”
He emphasises: “I know you think you’re defending me by doing this, but you’re achieving exactly the opposite. It helps neither me nor my future.”
“Putting an end to this together”
His appeal is therefore that we must try to improve as a society – and his fans should understand that this is something we all need to change together. “To help me perform better and continue to pursue my dreams and results – in other words, to score points – I need your help to put an end to this together.”
However, the fact that he will no longer be active on social media in the near future does not mean that his fans will have to miss him: “We’ll still see each other at the races. We’ll keep in touch and support one another. I want you to continue to get behind the team and behind me. I’m sure that, together, we’ll achieve great results.”
“So let’s give it our all and keep pushing hard so that these good results and points come back,” he says. “Let’s stick together as one big team, support one another through thick and thin, and I’m sure we’ll see each other again very soon at races closer to home.”
“Big hugs to you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your understanding, for your support and for always being there.”