Wednesday, October 9, 2024, 08:26
| Updated 12:24 p.m.
Talking about Formula 1 in Argentina is talking about Juan Manuel Fangio. The automotive legend won five world championships in the 1950s, at a time when if you went too fast you ran a serious risk of killing yourself. Nothing to do with current races, which, however, also have their risks. Fangio was made of a different stuff, which is why in his country he is considered the only athlete who can look Diego Maradona in the eyes. Franco Colapinto (Buenos Aires, 2003) wants to follow in his footsteps and the Argentines are devoted to him. He is the first of his own to reach Formula 1 in 23 years and despite his young age – he is only 21 years old – the numbers he presents in his career invite optimism.
He has already made his debut in the top motor category, he has also achieved his first points and, despite being a newcomer and not having control of the car, he is hot on his teammate’s heels. He debuted at the beginning of September in Monza, at the Italian Grand Prix, a country where his father’s family comes from. There he finished twelfth, two places away from scoring a valuable point. He would achieve it two weeks later in Baku, where he finished eighth and achieved his best result in the three races he has held so far. In the last event on the calendar, in Singapore, the Argentine crossed the finish line eleventh and surpassed his teammate.
The results in Formula 1 must be taken with a grain of salt. Driving a Red Bull or a Ferrari and winning from day one is not the same as debuting in style with a Williams, one of the worst cars on the grid. Hence the Argentines have gone crazy with Colapinto.
The young pilot is very nice. In every interview he does in the F1 paddock he brings a smile to the journalist’s face, he even allows himself to seduce female reporters live, as happened to Christine, from Dazn Spain. He has no shame in blurting out the first thing that comes to mind.
The friendliness he shows in front of the microphone is also transmitted to his teammates on the grid, among whom are Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso. They are delighted with him. “He had a very good race, without mistakes,” highlighted the two-time Asturian champion in the Italian GP, who can be considered his ‘godfather’.
Alonso always had an eye on that young Argentine who was emerging in South American karting. The Spaniard did not hesitate to sign him for his Formula 4 team in the Spanish championship when Colapinto was only a teenager. Five years ago he was proclaimed champion of the category, sweeping and achieving eleven victories in 21 races.
Carlos Sainz, a stone on the road
From there, the rise has been meteoric. Third in the European Formula Renault championship -one of the most prestigious lower categories-, seventh in his debut in the 24 hours of Le Mans, ninth and fourth in his two seasons in Formula 3 -the penultimate stage before F1-, and When he was fighting for the Formula 2 World Championship, he received the call from Williams to make his debut in Formula 1. He will race in the Great Circus until the end of the season, then he will have to make a living.
Colapinto has a problem and his name is Carlos Sainz. In fact, in ‘El Hormiguero’ he joked about the Madrid driver: «He took me out of my seat. Don’t screw around.” Sainz signed for Williams a few weeks before Colapinto replaced the criticized Sargeant at the head of one of the cars. So by 2025, the Argentine has no place in the team, which already has two drivers with a valid contract.
The most likely option for Colapinto is to remain as a tester at Williams and continue testing new categories, perhaps in endurance racing or in Formula E – a competition that emerged a few years ago to promote electric motors. Be that as it may, his future will be resolved shortly.
