Just over a year after his headline-making Formula 1 debut, Franco Colapinto is the next driver to face F1.com’s Getting to Know questions. From his early days getting to grips with quad bikes to nailing his driving test first time, and Juan Manuel Fangio’s influence to learning French with Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly, the Argentinian shares all in the video player above and transcript below…
Can you describe yourself in three words?
Humble, caring and passionate.
What made you fall in love with F1? Is there a moment that stands out?
Not really! I always loved sports, that adrenaline with an engine, something that makes you go fast. I used to be on a quad a lot when I was young. Since I started to watch F1… I fell in love with it when I was very young – I was like six years old. Then I started to go to see races in Argentina, seeing the touring cars, TC (Turismo Carretera), and all these championships. When I got a bit older, I was like, ‘I really want to go to F1!’ That’s when I decided to come to Europe and start the journey here.
When and where did you first drive something?
I know the moment that I started to really like it – it was when I got my first quad at four years old. I drove [things] since I was like three. I always loved speed, something that made you have that adrenaline and that feeling of going to the limit.
There’s lot of pressure on this next question… How many times did it take you to pass your driving test?
One! Only one. Not like the other F1 drivers. I heard they have been really bad at this…
There are some interesting stories out there…
It’s been easy to me, and actually I passed it at 17 years old, because in Argentina you can do it one year earlier.
Who’s your best friend inside the paddock?
Maybe Gabriel Bortoleto. I’ve known him since a long time ago when we were in karting, he’s a good guy, and we’re both Latino. He’s the one I feel the closest to, probably.
Which three F1 personalities past or present would you invite to a dinner party and why?
[Juan Manuel] Fangio, [Ayrton] Senna and Lewis [Hamilton]. These are the drivers I admire the most, the drivers I grew up with, and the ones that were my heroes since I was very, very young. Just to listen to all the stories that they have in the sport, in different moments and eras… I think to listen to that difference between how they used to drive, and they were the best at each time… Beautiful stories, I’m sure, and a nice bit of history of the sport.
What’s the best holiday you’ve been on?
I like going to a beach. When I was younger, we used to go to Mexico for holidays, and that I really liked. When you’re a kid and you go to school and work, you love going off and going to a beach, enjoying that. That was when I really, really enjoyed the holidays. When you’re a bit older you start to miss that a little bit. Now it’s tricky to spend so much time with the family and you miss that a little bit more.
What’s your favourite film and TV show of all time?
I really like Suits, the show about lawyers. I watched it a long time ago. Movie? Oof… Different ones. I’ve watched The Wolf of Wall Street a lot of times, I really like Rush, and then action movies as well – it’s difficult to choose!
How many languages can you speak? And are there any others you would like to learn?
I’d love to learn French. I’m learning it a little bit, with time and speaking it a little bit more. Especially in a French team, with Pierre [Gasly] as well speaking a lot of French, I’d love to understand what they say. I speak Spanish, Italian and English, so that’s three. Some Portuguese, but I can’t really call it a fourth language – maybe three-and-a-half!
Which other job do you wish you could try for a day?
I used to really like engineering when I was younger. I used to go to technical school, so [I did] a lot of engineering there. That might be one job to try, but [with] lots of studying to do, and I’m not really a fan of that!
A lot of drivers have said fighter pilot or astronaut…
Yeah, actually, being an astronaut would be a good one. Quite fun and some adrenaline there, so that’s not a bad job to have. I guess after a bit of time in space, in that cabin, you’re a bit claustrophobic!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
That was to never give up, and when you’re down to keep pushing. I really love advice when you’re having a tough moment, they cheer you up, and luckily I had a lot of these people always [having] my back and pushing me forward. More than a single advice, it’s just those people that were behind me and pushing me in the direction I had to go.
What’s your proudest moment in F1 so far?
I think Baku last year, my second race. Being in Q3 and in the points was one of the best moments in F1 so far. I had no prep, so it was quite a good and impressive start.
Does it still feel like yesterday? It’s pretty much a year ago now…
Yeah, only a year ago, but it does feel like less. Time went really, really quickly this year, but lots of things happened. It’s crazy how time flies.
Where do you want to be in five years’ time?
Still here – in F1!
