Jack Doohan, the Australian reserve driver for Alpine, has publicly addressed the issue of online harassment targeting his family following the circulation of a fake image on social media. The fabricated post, which falsely depicted his father, motorcycle racing legend Mick Doohan, mocking Alpine's new driver Franco Colapinto, sparked widespread backlash and abuse.

The Incident

Ahead of the recent F1 race in Imola, Doohan was replaced by Argentine driver Franco Colapinto, who faced a challenging debut, including a significant crash during qualifying. A parody account, 'formulafakers,' posted a manipulated image that appeared to show Mick Doohan sharing a still of Colapinto's crash with laughing emojis and the caption "very impressive." Despite being fake, the image was widely circulated and reported as genuine by several media outlets, particularly in Argentina.

Doohan's Response

Doohan took to Instagram to clarify the situation, stating, "As you can clearly see, the story circulating above is completely false. It was fabricated by Argentine fans attempting to portray me and my family in a negative light. They edited the original content to make it appear as though my father posted it, which is entirely untrue. Please stop harassing my family."

He further emphasized the damaging nature of such content, adding, "This type of content is so damaging." Doohan also clarified that the source of the parody image was not Argentine, but multiple Argentine outlets falsely reported it, leading to online abuse.

Alpine's Statement

Alpine, the F1 team, released a statement supporting Doohan and condemning online harassment. The statement read, "As an F1 team, we believe we are fortunate to be part of a global sport that evokes great passion and emotions, with an ever-growing community of fans who enthusiastically follow their favourite drivers' every move. We encourage everyone to remember that behind the visor of these superhuman athletes there is a person. An individual with feelings, family, friends, and loved ones. As a team, we cannot condone online abuse and urge all fans of this sport we love, to be kind and respectful."

Doohan's Future

Despite being replaced by Colapinto, Doohan remains with Alpine as a reserve driver. His future in F1, however, remains uncertain. Initially, it was speculated that Doohan might return to the team later in the season, but Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore denied any set limit on Colapinto's races, stating he could "drive forever" if he performs well.

This incident highlights the emotional and personal challenges faced by athletes in the high-pressure world of F1 racing, emphasizing the need for respect and kindness in the sport's global community.