Colapinto Aims for Confidence Boost Ahead of Monaco GP
Franco Colapinto, driver for Alpine F1, is focusing on building confidence ahead of this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix, a notoriously challenging street circuit. After a tumultuous debut at the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, where he finished 16th, Colapinto seeks to adapt to the 2025 Alpine A525’s performance.
At Imola, a crash during qualifying hindered his progress, compounded by a yellow flag that further disrupted his race strategy. The 21-year-old Argentine emphasized the need for experience, stating, “The part I’m missing is doing more races… I’ve probably had only four hours in the car.”
Colapinto recognizes the distinctive challenges posed by high-pressure tracks like Monaco: “You need to pick up confidence during laps… it’s not very straightforward for me,” he remarked. He noted the importance of incremental improvements, reflecting on his experience in practice sessions in Imola, where he progressively found pace.
While acknowledging a lack of specific deficiencies in his driving, Colapinto seeks to better understand the car’s limits as he gains more track time. “Just getting to know the car… is the only way of improving,” he said.
In addition to his on-track focus, Colapinto addressed the recent online abuse faced by peers Jack Doohan and Yuki Tsunoda from a segment of fans. He urged supporters to maintain respect in their interactions, stressing the need for accountability within the sport. “It’s just really bad for him to be receiving hate for that,” he stated, advocating for a more supportive environment among fans.
With the Monaco Grand Prix on the horizon, Colapinto’s aspirations for increased confidence highlight a crucial phase in his development as he strives to make a significant impact in the competitive landscape of Formula 1.
