Colapinto recalled his beginnings, spoke about his present at Alpine, and his dreams in F1.

While awaiting the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto gave an interview to the official Formula 1 channel in which he reviewed his personal story, his beginnings, and the most important moments of his career.

Regarding his passion for motorsport, the Pilar native commented: "I've always liked sports, that adrenaline with an engine, something that drives you to go fast. When I was young, I used to ride quads a lot. Since I started watching F1... I fell in love with it from a very young age. I was about six years old".

"Then I started going to watch races in Argentina, to see TC and all those championships. When I grew up, I thought: 'I really want to go to F1!' That was when I decided to come to Europe and start my adventure here", he added.

In a more relaxed segment, he described himself as "humble, affectionate, and passionate", and recalled his first contact with speed: "It was when I was given my first quad at four years old. I was driving since I was three. I've always liked that adrenaline of pushing the limit".

He even joked about another profession: "When I was young, I loved engineering. I went to a technical school, so I studied a lot of engineering there. Maybe it's a job I could try, but there's a lot to study, and I'm not very excited about that!".

Friendships and role models in the sport

Meanwhile, the Argentine driver said that one of his best friends in the paddock is Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber driver: "I've known him for a long time, since we played karting. He's a good guy, and we're both Latinos. Probably, he's the one I feel closest to".

He also revealed which three F1 personalities he would invite to dinner: "(Juan Manuel) Fangio, (Ayrton) Senna and Lewis (Hamilton). These are the drivers I admire the most, the heroes I grew up with from a very young age. Listening to their stories from different eras would be wonderful".

Memories and lessons in Formula 1

When asked about his most special moment in the category, Colapinto chose Baku 2024: "It was in my second race. Being in Q3 and in the points was one of the best moments. I had no preparation, so it was quite a good and impressive start".

Now, with the same race on the horizon, he reflected on what he experienced in this last year: "It's only been a year, but it feels like less. Time went by very quickly, but a lot happened. It's unbelievable how time flies".

His present at Alpine

Regarding his current situation with the French team, the Argentine highlighted the importance of communication: "I'd love to learn French. I'm learning it little by little, with Pierre (Gasly) speaking a lot of French. I speak Spanish, Italian, and English; some Portuguese, but I can't say it's a fourth language".

He also emphasized the value of having support in difficult times: "That means never giving up and, when you feel bad, keep going. I love advice when you're going through a tough time; I've always had many people supporting and encouraging me".