Franco Colapinto in the eye of the storm as sanction backlash sees FIA complaint

Argentine race driver Franco Colapinto is in hot water after motorsport governing body FIA issued a statement condemning online abuse of stewards, following criticism of the sanction he received during Sunday’s Dutch Formula 1 Grand Prix. Colapinto was handed a drive-through penalty for overtaking Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda, right after yellow flags were deployed on the circuit following Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s crash at the entrance to the main straight. While drivers are banned from overtaking other cars under yellow flags, many fans felt the sanction — which effectively ended the Argentine driver’s chances of finishing in a points-awarding position — was unfair, given the Japanese driver slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting debris from Verstappen’s car. In addition to the on-track penalty, the FIA deducted three points from his license, bringing his total to four in the past 12 months. The ire of fans across social media has prompted the FIA to release a statement on Tuesday condemning “online abuse” suffered by the race stewards. “The United Against Online Abuse coalition condemns all forms of abuse and harassment,” reads the communiqué, signed by the FIA-launched initiative. “Disagreement with decisions is part of sport, but it must never justify threats or personal attacks.” “We urge everyone engaging with our sport to do so with respect and responsibility, online and offline,” it adds. ‘It was an extremely harsh’ Colapinto himself harshly questioned the decision, calling it “pretty unfair” and saying he will review it with his team to “try to learn and understand further.” “It compromised my entire race. It was an extremely harsh penalty considering the conditions [of the track],” he said after the race. “Rules are rules, but there could be some flexibility in the margins. I think it would’ve been far more dangerous to slam on the brakes. I think [the stewards] lack a bit of judgment sometimes.” Alpine team principal Flavio Briatore was more cautious, admitting it was a “severe and harsh” penalty but acknowledging that “these rules are in place for safety.” Former F1 driver Vitantonio Liuzzi, one of the race’s stewards, told the outlet InfoBae that the rules “must be followed to ensure consistency.” “We have to enforce them at all times, even in situations that are difficult to manage,” he said. It must be pointed out that Colapinto wasn’t the only driver given a drive-through penalty following Verstappen’s accident, with Tsunoda’s teammate Arvid Lindblad also being handed the same sanction for the same reason. Precedent with Doohan and Tsunoda It’s not the first time that fans have put Colapinto in hot water. Last year, Jack Doohan — the driver Colapinto replaced at Alpine — said several Argentine fans sent him threats that forced him to hire private security after a fake Instagram story in which his father supposedly laughed at the Argentine driver crashing was picked up by several outlets in the country. Tsunoda himself was on the receiving end of a similar barrage after he gestured angrily at Colapinto at that year’s Emilia Romagna GP. The situation prompted a communiqué from Alpine, in which the team asked fans to “remember that behind the visor […] there is a person,” and urged them to “be kind and respectful.” Overtake of the month honors stripped It wasn’t Colapinto’s only controversy with the FIA, as he was also stripped of his July “Overtake of the Month” award, with the recognition handed to Max Verstappen. Colapinto had earned the award at the Belgian GP with a double pass on Liam Lawson and teammate Pierre Gasly in a single maneuver, with the on-board video of the move going viral after the race. Colapinto led the fan vote with 56% when polling closed on August 5, followed by Verstappen, whose pass on Lewis Hamilton at the Hungarian GP had 37%. However, it was the Dutchman who got the nod, as the expert panel responsible for selecting the nominees — which retains the ultimate verdict — went against the fan vote for the first time since the award was instituted to hand it to Verstappen. It proved a controversial decision, with fans on social media calling it “shameful,” “rigged” and questioning the nature of the award.