Agustín Canapino takes leave after disputing online abuse - ESPN

ELKHART LAKE, Wis. — Agustin Canapino is taking a leave of absence from IndyCar racing after he disputed Theo Pourchaire's claim that Argentine fans had issued death threats to the rival driver this week.

Canapino will not race this weekend at Road America in Wisconsin, and Juncos Hollinger Racing replaced him with rookie Nolan Siegel.

«Online abuse is unacceptable, and we need to ensure that our drivers are prepared both mentally and physically when they get in the car,» Juncos Hollinger Racing co-owner Brad Hollinger said in a statement. «We are saddened by the events that led to this scenario.»

The decision comes a day after Arrow McLaren Racing terminated its technical and marketing relationship with JHR over the entire fiasco. Pourchaire is the reigning F2 champion recently hired by McLaren.

JHR did not specify how much time Canapino will miss.

Pourchaire and Canapino made contact Sunday on a restart in Detroit that led to an avoidable contact penalty for the Frenchman. Pourchaire, 20, posted on social media Monday that he received death threats from Canapino fans.

«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,» Pourchaire wrote on X. «I hope people can understand that we are all humans and we can make mistakes. But it's not normal to abuse people online. Please be kind to each other.»

Arrow McLaren and Juncos Hollinger issued a joint statement Monday saying they «will not tolerate any form of abuse or discrimination. Those participating in such actions are not welcome in our online community.»

Canapino, 34, put out his own statement Tuesday saying «of course, I am against abuse and hate» but disputing that his fans had made the death threats