Photo by Jayce Illman/Getty Images
F1’s newest star may have finished outside the points Sunday but he has a new fan in Sergio Pérez
After a stunning finish in the points at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his first time ever driving the daunting street circuit, Franco Colapinto came up just short of the points in Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix. Tackling the punishing street circuit and oppressive conditions, Colapinto finished less than two seconds behind Sergio Pérez despite running ahead of the Red Bull driver for a good portion of the race.
While he does not have any points to show for his effort, he did earn some mid-race praise from the “King of the Streets” himself.
Despite starting outside the points, Colapinto picked up four places on the opening lap and was running ninth early in the Singapore Grand Prix, just ahead of Pérez. While many thought it would just be a matter of time before the Red Bull driver found his way past Colapinto, the young driver made life incredibly difficult for Pérez, a fact Pérez acknowledged over the radio to his team. “He’s very good,” came the radio message from Pérez to Red Bull. “Very difficult to pass Colapinto.”
ollowing the race, Colapinto acknowledged the difficult conditions, as well as the battle with Pérez.
“It’s a pity we didn’t finish in the top 10 after being there at the beginning of the race. I think it was possible to stay in the points and keep [Checo] Pérez behind with it being a difficult track to overtake,” said Colapinto in the team’s post-race report. “However, we didn’t defend as well as we could have and by stopping a lap too late, we lost a place. It is what it is, and we win and lose together as a team. Tire management was good throughout the race, but I was struggling a bit physically which was more of a limiting factor. Overall, P11 was still a decent result, and it was a very positive race to build on what I’ve learned so far.”
Not everyone was as impressed with Colapinto as Pérez was. Following the race Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr., noting Colapinto’s aggressive overtaking on the opening lap, stated that he risked causing a multi-car crash. “It was damage limitation for us today, especially after a very tricky start where we had to take avoiding action to a Williams that nearly took two or three out of the race and we had to just avoid the damage,” said Sainz after the race.
Even Colapinto’s teammate Alexander Albon expressed some dismay. “Franco just divebombed,” he exclaimed on his radio. “What’s he doing?”
Here is the move from Colapinto’s on-board camera, and you can judge for yourself:
For his part Colapinto said he saw a gap, referencing the legendary line from Ayrton Senna.
“There was a pretty nice gap and I went for it and it worked out,” he told the official F1 channel. “Here it’s very important, the start. To leave turn three in front of some cars is always nice and you are in a much better position for later in the race.”
Colapinto’s incredible start to his F1 career — he has finished 12th, 8th, and now 11th in just three races — has many wondering if he has earned a spot on the grid full-time next season. With Visa Cash App RB F1 Team seemingly closing in on a decision regarding Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson, that would leave the open spot at Sauber/Audi as the only seat available next season.
While Valtteri Bottas and Gabriel Bortoleto are considered the front runners for that seat, and rumors in Singapore indicated that Bottas may put pen to paper on a new deal shortly, Colapinto is doing everything he can to earn a spot.
And Williams Team Principal James Vowles has indicated he will do everything he can to secure a spot for Colapinto on the grid.
Now maybe Pérez can be another reference for the young driver.
