The Argentine driver compared his experiences with both teams and acknowledged that the adaptation process was more complex at his current team
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Franco Colapinto made his debut in Formula 1 at last year's Italian Grand Prix with the Williams FW46. At that time, everything seemed to be going perfectly: he had a solid start in Monza and surprised in Azerbaijan, where he made it into Q3 and finished eighth, scoring points in just his second race.
However, his return this May behind the wheel of the Alpine A525 presented him with a completely different scenario, with several negative results and more uncertainties than certainties. In that context, the Argentine acknowledged that the car was more complex to drive and that, unlike his time at Williams, he hadn't had any influence on its development.
"I got into a car that had already been developed and driven by many other drivers, but not really by me. So I didn't have much influence on what I wanted from the car this year. I didn't really have any input on how to fix things before the season started or on how the car had been developed over the years," he said on the Beyond the Grid podcast.
En Williams, Colapinto usaba un auto que venía usando desde hace tiempo
He added: "Maybe it's not so focused on how I drive, but on how other drivers do, like Pierre (Gasly), who's been here for many years, Esteban (Ocon), Fernando (Alonso) in the past. The team has had a structure and a way of working that hasn't really been adapted to me."
Colapinto also explained why it was easier for him to adapt to Williams: he had worked for more than a year in the simulator, knew the engineers, and understood the problems and changes in the car, even though he hadn't done previous tests. With Alpine, meanwhile, he found himself in a completely new environment.
A diferencia de Williams, Colapinto empezó de 0 con el Alpine
"Here it was more like joining a new team, a new car, not having the experience of a car I'd already driven before. That experience also brings me things I want to have, but can't have. Getting into a new car, a new Formula 1, driving it for the first time, is more complicated, but at the same time you don't have any comparison or previous experience of what you want from the car," he commented.
In that sense, he clarified that he feels the A525 is set up based on Pierre Gasly's preferences, his teammate, and that he makes modifications to adapt it to his driving style.
Colapinto cree que el A525 está configurado para Gasly
After a difficult start, in which he struggled to keep up with Gasly, the Argentine stated that since the Hungarian Grand Prix he has started to feel more comfortable and competitive. "Sometimes it takes me a little longer to find what I want, but in the end I always end up getting there. Sometimes a little too late, but I think now we're managing to do it a bit earlier and on time," he concluded.
