Franco Colapinto spoke about his meeting with Messi: 'He asked me if he could get in the car'

In the run-up to the Miami Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto experienced a special moment off the track: met Lionel Messi in a match that, as he described, exceeded all his expectations

.

The meeting took place at the Inter Miami training ground, where the driver shared a moment with the captain of the Argentine national team and also with Rodrigo De Paul. “It was unique. I wanted to know Leo since he was a baby, but I wanted it to come naturally, that wasn't marketing, with cameras; I didn't want there to be all that circus. It happened in a calm, natural, relaxed way. They spent 20 minutes chatting with Leo, it's a crazy thing, it's something I had never imagined,”

he said.

During the meeting between the three, the pilot commented that the talk was relaxed and revolved both around sports and daily life. “He knew a lot about Formula 1; he asked me a lot of questions, about the show too,” he explained, revealing a little-known side of the soccer

player.

"I am happy to have met him as a person; as an athlete we all appreciate him and love him. I think that if there is someone that all Argentines want to meet and dream of meeting, it's Leo, and having the opportunity was a very nice moment,”

he said.

The most striking anecdote came when he recalled a one-off consultation with the Rosario: “He asked me if I could get in the car or see it up close. I said: 'Obviously, I'll let you run, I'll leave your helmet on you'”, he laughed

.

On the other hand, he referred to the chance to see the 10 in the Miami Grand Prix. “Hopefully it will come. I told him to take care of himself because I'm a little scared in the paddock; they told me that there's a lot of show and there's a lot of people. It would be impressive if he came,” he said.

However, he was cautious about the possible context of the event: “It's going to be a bit of a circus and there are a lot of people. I don't want her to come and have a hard time. Hopefully, if he comes, he will enjoy it; if not, that I will bank from home, which is already an enormous honor,”

he closed.

When does Colapinto return to racing

After the break of just over a month due to the cancellations of the Saudi Arabia and Bahrain Grand Prix, Formula 1 will resume action next week with the Miami Grand Prix.

The competition will take place at the Miami International Autodrome between Friday, May 1 and Sunday, May 3