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The head of Franco Colapinto's management company has snapped back at Jeremy Clarkson after the legendary TV presenter took a deliberate swipe at his nationality. Colapinto's Alpine team has also put out a statement distancing itself from the comment made by Clarkson when speaking to Sky Sports F1 at the United States Grand Prix. The 66-year-old is in Austin as an Alpine guest, given the strong ties between Clarkson's Diddly Squat Farm and the team, which is based in nearby Enstone.
But that did not stop him from having a cheeky dig when referencing the fact Colapinto incurred a 10-place grid penalty for Sunday's race. The punishment was an automatic one, because he took a new engine part beyond his annual allowance.
When asked for his prediction of how Alpine might do this weekend, Clarkson joked: "Franco has got a grid penalty – for being Argentinian, probably. Well, I'd give him one for that, but anyway, that's just because of what happened when we went there."
He was referring to an incident episode of Top Gear from more than a decade ago, when Clarkson, his co-hosts and the production team were chased out of Argentina becuase locals were infuriated over the number plate of the car he used for the road trip. An angry mob formed over the belief that the plate H982 FKL was a deliberate provocation over the Falklands War.
BBC chiefs insisted it was a coincidence, but that did not stop Argentinians from venting their fury at Clarkson. And the Briton has sparked outrage in the South American country again for his swipe at Colapinto's nationality.
Colapinto has not personally responded to the incident but Jamie Campbell-Walter, director of Bullet Sports Management which looks after the 23-year-old driver, expressed his anger on social media.
He wrote on X: "Clarkson's comments about Franco's nationality were completely unacceptable. There is no place for remarks like this in Formula 1, regardless of who makes them or whether they are intended as a joke.
"We have worked hard to promote respect and put an end to hostility and abuse. That respect must go both ways. We cannot ask anyone to behave responsibly while accepting comments like these from prominent figures visiting our sport.
"Franco and his supporters deserve better than this. Let's not allow this to undo the progress we've made and rise above malicious comments."
His Alpine team has also issued a statement distancing itself from Clarkson's comments. A spokesperson said: "We're aware of the comments made in a recent TV interview from a guest of the team in Austin.
"We would like to reiterate that these are personal views and do not align with the team's values of promoting kindness and respect. Franco is our driver and has our full support."
Colapinto wasn't Clarkson's only target during the short Sky interview. He also singled out Kim Kardashian and expressed his dismay over how much attention the businesswoman and reality TV star gets when she visits the F1 paddock, which she has done several times this year since striking up a relationship with Lewis Hamilton last winter.
Clarkson said: "I'm sort of not interested in Kim Kardashian if I'm honest... I'm not interested. Why would I be interested in Kim Kardashian? I'm here to watch Formula 1, not Kim Kardashian. And all the cameras go, 'Oh, Kim Kardashian's here!' Why do I care?"
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