Insane IndyCar Drama As Death Threats Lead Teams To End Commercial Alliance

Things have gotten pretty ugly in the NTT IndyCar Series, with news that Arrow McLaren has ended their technical alliance with Juncos Hollinger Racing after fans of JHR driver Agustin Canapino sent death threats to McLaren's Theo Pourchaire on social media.

The two teams struck a commercial alliance last year that saw Arrow McLaren, which had an abundance of sponsors, placing smaller sponsors on JHR's cars, per RACER.com's Marshall Pruett. It was a solid deal for both sides, but the teams have announced that it's over.

"This decision follows actions that occurred earlier this week on social media in regards to an on-track incident at the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix," an Arrow McLaren statement reads.

"As reflected in the team’s social media community code, Arrow McLaren will not tolerate any form of abuse or discrimination and totally condemns the online abuse directed toward our team and driver."

The situation began over the weekend during the IndyCar race in Detroit which was an unmitigated crash fest. One incident involved Pourchaire steaming into a corner way too hot and catching Canapino.

That was certainly on Pourchaire, but mistakes like that one from the young Frenchman happen all the time. Sure, Canapino and JHR won't be happy about it, but you move on, right?

Right?!

Fans of Juncos Hollinger Racing driver Agustin Canapino have been accused of sending Arrow McLaren's Theo Pourchaire death threats, and it's not the first time those claims have been made.  (Photo by David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Canapino Fans Allegedly Sent Pourchaire Death Threats

Well, Canapino — who is immensely popular in his native Argentina — had some fans who took it upon themselves to voice their displeasure on his behalf, by sending Pourchaire death threats via social media.

This led to a joint statement from Arrow McLaren and Juncos Hollinger Racing that was shared by Pourchaire.

However, what some reports seem to indicate was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back was that Canapino had liked a tweet from an Argentinian driver and commentator named Martin Ponte in which he quoted Pourchaire's statement and wrote "Callum Pourchaire."

That was a reference to Callum Ilott, Canapino's teammate at JHR last season who was also on the receiving end of death threats after the two tangled twice, once at Long Beach and again at Laguna Seca (what is it about California that got everyone heated?).

However, Canapino released a statement on Tuesday in which he claimed to have "not seen a single death threat directed at those who claim to have received them."

that appears to have not sat well with McLaren — with whom Ilott drove Pourchaire's No. 6 car in the Indianapolis 500 — and now the commercial alliance is over.