Doohan Reveals Scale of Abuse
Jack Doohan has spoken publicly about the serious death threats he received during his stint as an Alpine driver in 2025, revealing that the abuse escalated to the point where people threatened to kill him and harm his family. The Australian was targeted by a section of Franco Colapinto's fanbase who wanted the Argentine driver in his seat.
Doohan revealed the extent of the threats on Netflix's Drive to Survive, describing emails threatening extreme violence if he was not out of the car by the Miami Grand Prix. The threats were not limited to Doohan himself — his family was also targeted with harassment on social media.
Alpine's Response
Alpine Racing issued a statement condemning the online abuse directed at Doohan. The team called the behaviour unacceptable and confirmed they had reported the threats to the relevant authorities.
Doohan himself publicly asked fans to stop harassing his family, a statement that highlighted just how personal and invasive the abuse had become.
The Broader Problem
The Doohan situation is part of a troubling pattern of toxic tribalism in F1 fandom. Formula 1 and the FIA have called on social media platforms to step up their fight against online abuse, acknowledging that the problem extends far beyond any single driver or fanbase. Previous targets of serious online harassment include Lewis Hamilton, Lando Norris, and Yuki Tsunoda.
Colapinto's Replacement of Doohan
Doohan was dropped by Alpine after six races of the 2025 season and replaced by Colapinto ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Even after losing his seat, the abuse from certain sections of Colapinto's fanbase continued — a deeply troubling reflection of how driver rivalries can spill over into dangerous real-world behaviour.
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