Formula 1’s newest driver Franco Colapinto had a more than decent debut in last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. A small mistake during qualifying saw him starting just 18th ahead of both Kick Saubers, but a good race pace and strategy saw him gain six places to finish 12th, three places down from team mate Alexander Albon, and well within the lead lap. The young Argenitinian driver was understandably satisfied with his performance and result.
“I am happy of course with the result, but mostly happy with the pace. It was a question mark.
“I have never done more than 8 laps in a row before this and suddenly I had to do 53. I have never tried a hard compound as well, so a lot of new things. But very happy, very positive weekend overall.
“Of course a bit frustrating the little mistake I have done yesterday,” he said, referring back to qualifying. “But today I paid it back to the team with a really strong pace. The engineers stayed with me during all the session and they helped me a lot with the tools to keep the tyres under control. It was very positive.
“I am happy of course with the performance. I need to keep working. We have now a lot of information to take on to the factory, take on to a simulator and understand better in what we need to work.
“So I think it is a very good first race, more than positive. Very happy, physically I felt good. Very hot day, but I am feeling good, happy with the car.
“It is always tough your first race, many of unknown things, but I think we managed it well and only finishing a couple of seconds of the points was decent. So happy and I think we have a good chance in the next races to do a good job as well.“
First of the remaining eight races is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, a track unknown to Colapinto, but with a two week gap there is ample time to recover, analyse the race and prepare for the challenging street circuit.
“Baku is a track that I don’t know and it will be tough and it will be a challenge. I know that, but now at least it is only one thing to learn. I already know the car from this weekend.
“So it was a good weekend to do your debut. I knew the track quite well, so it was only one thing to learn. Next weekend in Baku will be also one thing to learn, that is the track.“
Given that there was only one week between the Dutch Grand Prix and the race in Monza, there was little time for Colapinto to prepare himself, as the announcement that he had to replace Logan Sargeant came quite late in the week.
“It is a tough one,” he said. “But now I have I think time enough to do a good prep in the simulator, to spend time with the engineers. Of course the time was very limited coming into this race. The call was very late and I couldn’t do a good prep.
“But in the next few races I think I am going to be able to nail it on that, and I am going to arrive a bit more prepared overall with the car, with the settings, procedures and everything.“
Williams team boss James Vowles explained Williams wanted to go for one of their own junior drivers, to much delight of Colapinto.
“Of course very happy to give them a good result in the first race I go with them. James, the team, had the trust to put me in the car and to put me in the seat. It is a very difficult decision, the one that they made, but extremely happy for the performance.”
The first Argentinian driver in more than two decades was also very happy with his reception in the paddock, more specifically by his team mate Albon, who showed him the ropes.
“It is a moment that you have to enjoy,” Colapinto looks back on his debut weekend. “You are a bit like two phones. It is a very proud moment. Your first weekend and your first race. It is something that you are never going to forget. I just enjoyed it a lot.
“I tried to enjoy every moment. The drivers were very nice. Some of them gave me some tips.
“Alex has been very helpful in the team. I have followed all the things that he has been saying. I am just happy.“
