Briatore threatens to stop interviews with Argentinian television

According to RacingNews365 and the Spanish-language edition of Motorsport.com, Briatore issued his warning on 23 September in an interview with ESPN Argentina. He was addressing Argentinian supporters in particular: if online misconduct continues, Alpine could stop giving interviews to Argentinian television. It has not been established that any interview ban has actually been introduced.

Gasly told The Race in a separate conversation that he, his family and his girlfriend had received threats and online attacks after the Spanish Grand Prix. Who sent the messages and how many people were involved have not been independently established.

RacingNews365 emphasises the seriousness of Briatore’s warning. The Argentinian outlet TN explicitly states in its subheading the condition under which interviews could stop. The substance of their reporting is the same; the main difference is one of emphasis. Both articles draw on the same ESPN interview for Briatore’s words.

Held up, but no order to let him through

The on-track trigger came in the closing stages of the Spanish GP on 13 September. Gasly held up Colapinto, prompting the Argentinian to complain about the time lost and the pressure from Oscar Piastri behind him. Colapinto finished seventh and scored six points; Gasly was twelfth.

Alpine had already explained after the race why Gasly stayed out for so long without changing tyres. According to Briatore, the team kept him out in the hope of benefiting from a late safety car and still scoring points. That was the team’s explanation of its strategy, not proof that coordination within the team had worked well.

According to Edd Straw’s reconstruction in The Race, Gasly was warned that Colapinto was behind him, but was not instructed to let him through. RacingNews365 and TN also report that no such team order was given. Holding him up therefore cannot be portrayed as ignoring an instruction.

Assessments of the consequences differ. Colapinto told The Race that Piastri had almost overtaken him. Straw, by contrast, writes that the McLaren driver did not come close to actually attempting an overtake. According to that reconstruction, the incident did not cost Colapinto a position.

According to The Race, Colapinto says that he and Gasly get on well. He says he has not seen the messages, but hopes the attacks will stop. He also emphasises that the problem is not confined to his own fans.