Fans told ‘don't send death threats’ as Esteban Ocon apologises for Franco Colapinto clash

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The fight for the final points-scoring place in the Chinese Grand Prix became physical as Esteban Ocon launched a highly optimistic move up the inside of Franco Colapinto’s Alpine at Turn 2 on lap 32 of the race. As Colapinto took the racing line into the corner, he clipped the front wing of Ocon’s Haas and they both spun.

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Colapinto recovered and later passed Arvid Lindblad’s Racing Bulls car for 11th, then benefitted from Max Verstappen’s retirement to finish 10th and claim the final point. Ocon was handed a 10-second penalty by the stewards for causing a collision and was classified 14th after making a second pitstop to serve it.

“I deserve the penalty,” said Ocon in the media ‘pen’ after the race, having already approached Colapinto to apologise before they did the round of media interviews.

“I was fighting with Franco the whole race, so that's clearly my fault on that last incident. I was a bit over-optimistic and the gap was not really there.

“There was one point to catch, which for me and him there should have been a lot more today.

“I'm glad he still scored a point, because he drove a good race.”

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Colapinto and Ocon were 12th and 13th on the grid and started on Pirelli’s hard-compound tyres, which required them to extend their first race stints to make the strategy work. Both drivers had made excellent starts, assisted by the absence of the two McLarens from the third row of the grid.

Colapinto ran sixth in the early laps. The safety car deployment after Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin halted at Turn 2 on lap nine gave both Colapinto and Ocon the immediate benefit of gaining track position but, in turn, handed their immediate rivals a ‘cheap’ pitstop in terms of time lost.

Both drivers later had to make their pitstops under green-flag conditions. Ocon stopped two laps before Colapinto and found the Alpine emerging from the pitlane ahead of him as he passed the start line.

“It was either I get him or it was nothing today,” said Ocon. “It was taking all the risks, but it shouldn’t have ended that way.”

“I didn't see the replay, he just hit me on the rear right and broke my car,” said Colapinto.

“It is what it is and he apologised and it's all good, but of course really annoying to have lost a few points for that.”

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Colapinto’s agency Bullet Sports Management, run by former sportscar racer Jamie Campbell-Walter, issued a statement in a pre-emptive bid to discourage social media abuse.

“Public service announcement: please do not send hateful messages or death threats to Esteban, his family, or the Haas team,” it said.

“It will not change the incident and only reflects poorly on Franco’s fandom. Thank you for maintaining positive and respectful support.”

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