“I’m sad I received so much hate and death threats in the last 24 hours for such a small incident in the Detroit GP,” rookie driver Theo Pourchaire wrote in a tweet on Monday. “I hope people can understand that we are all humans and we can make mistakes.” During a restart on lap 60 of the race in Detroit, the young Frenchman made a low-percentage move to pass three cars into the course’s hairpin corner that saw him slide side-to-side into Argentinian firebrand Agustin Canapino. It was far from a clean attempt at a pass, but he pulled it off despite the contact.
There is obviously no scenario in which death threats and online harassment of a driver can be considered acceptable. As Pourchaire mentioned, sometimes people make mistakes. If all racing were mistake-free, would it even be worth watching? The contact was minor enough that Theo wasn’t penalized, and both he and Canapino continued on to finish in 10th and 12th respectively.
Following the race fans of Canapino began an online harassment campaign targeting Pourchaire for hitting their favorite driver. This is becoming a semi-regular occurrence in IndyCar as this has happened twice before involving Canapino and his former teammate Callum Ilott. Ilott was twice the recipient of threats t0 his own life and those of his family members following contact with Canapino at the 2023 Long Beach and Laguna Seca rounds.
Juncos Hollinger Racing, the team for which Canapino drives, has previously released tepid social media statements about the incidents with Illot, with rote verbiage like “Let the collective power of our supporters be a force for good!”
On Monday evening, more than 24 hours after the on-track incident, Juncos Hollinger and Arrow McLaren (the team for which Pourchaire drives) issued a joint statement condemning the behavior.
The past 24 hours have unfortunately provided our teams with a stark reminder about the necessity for respect and civility in our online interactions.
Social media allows us to engage with our fans around the world, but it is important that we interact with each other in a respectful and safe environment. We will not tolerate any form of abuse or discrimination, and those participating in such actions are not welcome in our online community and will be blocked.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES delivers dynamic action on the racetrack and incredible access for fans, but we must remember that behind the wheel, the pit wall or the monitor, we are all human beings.
It is vital that we collectively maintain a safe and welcoming community for all involved.
The internet is old enough that we shouldn’t still be having these kinds of issues. Be fucking respectful.