Alpine driver Franco Colapinto found himself at the centre of an unexpected social media controversy after revealing that he had been robbed while enjoying his F1 summer break in Italy.
The Argentine driver is currently holidaying around Lake Como, one of Italy’s most popular tourist destinations, during the mid-season break. Colapinto revealed that a suitcase containing clothes and other belongings had been stolen, along with his kit for preparing mate, the traditional Argentine tea-like drink.
Taking to Instagram, Colapinto initially joked about the incident by writing that he never expected “Italians” to steal from a Latino and added that he was sure the thieves would not know what to do with his mate.
However, the comment quickly attracted criticism from some fans, who felt the wording unfairly singled out Italians. Facing the backlash, Colapinto edited the post and changed “Italians” to “Europeans” in an apparent attempt to soften the remark.
The change did little to stop the reaction, and Colapinto eventually removed the post altogether.
He later returned to social media with a series of photos taken before the robbery and appeared to take the incident in better spirits, joking that he hoped whoever had taken his belongings would at least enjoy them.
The robbery and ensuing social media drama provided an unusual distraction for Colapinto during the F1 summer break, with the 23-year-old now expected to turn his attention back to racing when the championship resumes.
