Pierre Gasly has spoken out after being subjected to a wave of disturbing online abuse following the Spanish Grand Prix, revealing that the situation became so severe that members of his family and his girlfriend were also targeted. The Alpine driver became the focus of criticism after a late-race incident involving teammate Franco Colapinto, but Gasly has made clear that disagreement over an on-track decision should never develop into personal threats. Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Frenchman described the abuse as deeply troubling for Formula 1.
The controversy stemmed from the closing stages of the Madrid race, when Colapinto caught Gasly while the Frenchman was preparing to make a pit stop. Colapinto was fighting to protect seventh place and had Oscar Piastri closing rapidly behind him, while Gasly remained focused on completing his own strategy. Gasly’s slower pace allowed Piastri to close the gap considerably, leading to frustration from Colapinto over team radio. Colapinto ultimately finished seventh, meaning the incident did not cost him his position, but the subsequent reaction online was far more serious.
Gasly said he accepts that being a Formula 1 driver means facing criticism and intense scrutiny, but argued that there is a clear boundary between sporting disagreement and personal harassment. He was particularly concerned that the abuse extended beyond him to people close to him. The 30-year-old called the threats and attacks “completely inappropriate” and said that being behind a keyboard should not give anyone the justification to cross basic boundaries. He also warned that such behaviour has become an increasingly troubling part of the modern F1 environment.
Colapinto has also condemned the abuse directed towards his teammate and expressed his support for Gasly. The Argentine acknowledged that passionate fan behaviour has become a recurring problem in Formula 1 and pointed to previous situations in which drivers and officials were targeted online. He stressed that supporting a driver should mean encouraging their performances rather than attacking rivals, teammates or officials. The incident has therefore developed into a wider discussion about how social-media fandom can turn toxic when emotions from the racetrack spill into people’s personal lives.
The fallout has also drawn a strong response from Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore, who warned that the team could restrict Colapinto’s access to Argentine media if abusive behaviour from sections of his fanbase continues. The FIA has separately been pursuing efforts to combat online harassment directed at drivers and other participants in the sport. For Gasly, however, the message is straightforward: criticism and disagreement are part of professional sport, but threats against drivers and their families cross a line that should not be accepted.
