Franco Colapinto gave his helmet to Lionel Messi and dedicated an emotional message to him

After crossing the checkered flag in 13th place at the Canadian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto left the result on the track behind and made an emotional gesture: he gave his racing helmet to Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentina National Team and idol of the driver's generation.

The Alpine driver shared the moment on his Instagram account, where he posted a story with Messi posing next to the helmet, accompanied by heart emojis and a lovestruck face as a sign of the affection he feels for the Rosario-born star.|

The helmet also featured a handwritten dedication by Colapinto: "Thank you for so much joy and so many lessons. All the best," signed the young man born in Pilar, who has long declared his deep admiration for the footballer.

This is the first public gesture between both figures, although the connection already had precedents. In previous interviews, Colapinto had placed Messi on his personal podium of favorite athletes, alongside FernandoBelasteguín and Juan Manuel Fangio.

Additionally, Aníbal Colapinto, the driver's father, had said that both remain in contact. "They haven't met in person, but they owe each other a lunch. They have been talking. They are waiting," he revealed. The possibility of that meeting could materialize during one of the upcoming races in the United States, where Messi is currently playing in the Club World Cup with Inter Miami.

Colapinto's post after the Canadian GP

Meanwhile, after his performance in Montreal, Colapinto also reflected on social media about what happened on the track.
"Good weekend, positive steps. Very close to the points, which will come soon. Let's keep learning, let's go for more. Thank you, team," he wrote on Instagram, along with a picture of himself during the race. The Argentine driver had a solid race, although a pit stop strategy error prevented him from scoring his first points in Formula 1.