In a bold move, the manager of Franco Colapinto, the emerging Formula 1 star, has sternly rebuked abusive fans sending disparaging comments to Alpine, the French-based team, ahead of the 2025 F1 season. This backlash comes as the motorsport world is rife with conjecture over the future of Jack Doohan, the current Alpine F1 driver.
Colapinto, who served as a reserve driver for Alpine, had a dramatic entry into Formula 1 with Williams. The young Argentine star replaced Logan Sargeant mid-season, and his performance was nothing short of notable, scoring five points in just nine races. However, despite this promising debut, Colapinto found himself without a spot on the 2025 F1 grid. Williams, having already committed to Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon on multi-year contracts, left no room for the promising racer, and no opportunities presented themselves elsewhere.
The management at Williams, however, remained committed to finding a new opportunity for Colapinto. This led to a deal with Alpine to serve as a reserve driver, his best shot at returning to the grid. This move further fueled the uncertainty surrounding Doohan’s tenure at Alpine as he prepares for his first full F1 season.
The uncertainty remains with neither Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore nor team principal Oliver Oakes offering reassurances to Doohan about his future. Briatore, in an interview with Le Parisien, stated, “We’ll start the year with Pierre and Jack, I can guarantee that. After that, we’ll see as the season progresses.” Briatore added, hinting at a potential shake-up, “If there’s a driver who isn’t making progress, who isn’t bringing me results, I change him. You can’t be emotional in F1.”
Oakes, when queried about the speculation surrounding Doohan’s future, expressed a desire to let both the driver and the team focus on their performance. “We’re here to go racing with the best driver and the best engine in the car. We’re starting the season with Jack and Pierre, and then let’s see how it all goes,” he articulated.
Jamie Campbell-Walter, director of Bullet Sports Management, which represents Colapinto, has stepped in amidst this frenzy. He took to social media to admonish Colapinto’s fans who were engaging in abusive and arrogant behavior towards Alpine. Campbell-Walter’s response was to a post that implored fans to refrain from posting derogatory comments on Alpine’s account.
He responded, “The haters who think they help Franco, you are doing him more harm than good.” He went on to condemn the insults being hurled at the team, Doohan, and even other Alpine supporters. His message was clear – while passion is appreciated, abuse and arrogance are not the ways to support a driver. He reassured fans, “Franco’s time will come but not like this, you will achieve the opposite.”
As we look forward to the F1 2025 season, it’s clear that the drama off the track is just as intense as the competitions on it.