After a difficult start to the season at the Australian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto was optimistic for the next round of the Formula 1: the Chinese Grand Prix. The Argentinian driver said that, despite the problems of his debut, Alpine left Melbourne with positive signs about the car's performance under racing conditions.
“The race in Melbourne was difficult and it wasn't how we wanted to start the year. We had an uphill task from the start with the early penalty, something we will all learn from staying together as a team in both good and bad times,” said the Pilarense about the stop and go that caused him to lose about 30 seconds in the start due to a mistake on his team's part.
Beyond that, he also highlighted his spectacular maneuver on Lawson. “I managed to get between him and the pit wall. It was really close, but I'm happy to have been able to react so quickly and stay in the race. I must say that watching the replay still amazes me! ”, he said
.Beyond the final result, the Argentinian remarked that the test in Albert Park allowed a better understanding of the behavior of the car. “We were able to see better how the car feels under race conditions and we could see good potential compared to our rivals,”
he said.The challenge in Shanghai will be greater than Melbourne, as it will be the first Sprint weekend of the season. In that regard, Colapinto warned: “It's really difficult to know what the track will be like with these cars and, since it's the first Sprint weekend of the year, we only have an hour on Friday to find out. It's going to be a big challenge.”
The Argentinian stressed that the key will be to adapt quickly to circuit conditions and make the most of the short test time. “We need to be very adaptable and start off on the right foot, as there is a lot to learn. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it develops,” he concluded.
When does Colapinto return to racing
After a difficult debut in Australia, the Argentine driver will resume action next weekend with the Chinese Grand Prix, between Friday 13th and Sunday 15th of March at the Shanghai International Circuit
