Interview
Finally a Argentine in F1? 'Great to be with such a historic team'
- GPblog.com
With five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio and Carlos Reutemann (12-time Grand Prix winner), Argentina produced some great Formula 1 drivers. Meanwhile, it has been since 2001 since the South American country last had its own driver in the king class of motorsport with Gastón Mazzacane. Franco Colapinto should change that within a few years.
Colapinto (19), who joined the Williams Racing Driver Academy early this year, has started his second season in Formula 3. During the opening weekend, he captured second place in the sprint race on behalf of MP Motorsport. The main race concluded a day later with tenth. In any case, this meant he laid foundations for a title run. " Yeah, maybe fighting for the the championship is one of the expectations [for this season]," Colapinto told GPblog and others. "Not only this year. If you are racing, that is what you are racing for. I never thought about that since we started this year. It will be great, but my goal is to go from race to race, from practice to quali, and go step by step."
Additional expectations
In any case, Williams recognises Colapinto's talent. "It's amazing to be in such a historic team and with so much great people. And so much great stuff in Williams, since they started in F1. To be part of it, is awesome for me. It's a great opportunity. It’s my second year in F3, that always brings a little bit more expectations. I don’t feel any extra pressure for that. I am really looking forward to the season, to race and do my best. I want to focus on the mistakes I made last year, and not make them again. That is going to be important. As a second year driver, I am going to try to improve."
History has shown that continuous progression through the junior ranks is necessary to maintain a chance of eventually getting a seat in Formula 1. Staying too long in a class, such as F3, makes it difficult to eventually make the necessary steps. Colapinto, as mentioned, is in his second season in this junior class. In principle, the next step is needed in 2024. MP Motorsport also has a Formula 2 team, so one plus one seems to be two here.
No focus on Formula 2 (yet)
"Maybe it's the idea," says Colapinto "To be honest, I am not looking at 2024 yet. I am focused on 2023, what is a really important year for me and then I am gonna see what happens. But I am not really thinking about Formula 2 or anything like that. My job is in Formula 3 and do the best I can this year. Then we will see where I end up, what opportunities I have."
The season in Formula 3 continues next season. For the first time, the junior class will be active in Melbourne, as a support programme for the Australian Grand Prix.