IndyCar: Agustin Canapino taking ‘leave of absence’ due to ‘growth of online abuse and harassment’

Agustin Canapino won’t participate in Sunday’s IndyCar race at Road America after a week filled with alleged fan abuse on social media following an incident between him and Theo Pourchaire at the Detroit Grand Prix.

Juncos Hollinger Racing said Nolan Siegel would replace the 24-year-old Argentinian in the No. 78 car as Canapino takes a “leave of absence.” Canapino’s departure from the seat comes after Arrow McLaren announced Thursday that it was terminating its business relationship with Juncos Hollinger after Canapino fans had allegedly leveled death threats toward Pourchaire.

Pourchaire, driving for McLaren, made contact with Canapino during the Detroit Grand Prix on June 2. On Monday, Pourchaire tweeted that he had received death threats following the incident.

Canapino released a statement himself saying that “I have not seen a single death threat directed at those who claim to have received them” while disavowing anyone who would level death threats on social media. He said that he “constantly receive[s] abuse and hate” and he has “learned to live with it as many people do, choosing to ignore it. There’s nothing sadder and more miserable than hiding behind social media to insult others.”

Thursday, McLaren cited its “social media community code” and said that it wouldn’t tolerate “any form of abuse or discrimination and “totally condemns the online abuse directed toward our team and driver” when announcing that it had terminated its business relationship with Juncos Hollinger. The teams had a deal to place extra McLaren sponsor inventory on Juncos Hollinger cars when needed.

The fan abuse cited this week was not the first time an opposing driver has brought up how Canapino fans have reacted online following a race. A season ago, Canapino’s then-teammate Callum Ilott received hate after an incident between the two drivers at Laguna Seca. The outrage led to Juncos Hollinger releasing a statement requesting no negative comments toward either of its drivers.

Canapino has an average finish of 17.7 through the first six IndyCar races of the season and finished 22nd in the Indianapolis 500. Siegel was the only driver who failed to qualify for the 500 as he crashed out during his last-ditch qualifying attempt to make the field. Sunday’s race will be his second career IndyCar start.