Franco Colapinto experienced one of the most special moments of his recent career in Formula 1 during the Miami GP. The Argentine said he was impressed with Lionel Messi’s knowledge of motorsport after a private meeting between the two in the United States.
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The meeting took place after an Alpine promotional event in Buenos Aires and before the Miami round. Colapinto spoke with Messi alongside player Rodrigo de Paul and revealed he was surprised by the number of questions asked by the Argentine star.
“It was something I always dreamed of, and just having the opportunity to meet him and spend some time with him was very special,” said the Alpine driver. According to Colapinto, Messi showed he knew a lot about the sport and showed interest in the driver’s commitments in Formula 1. “He really knew a lot. He surprised me a lot, asked questions, and wanted to know about the roadshow,” he explained.
The Argentine also highlighted Messi’s admiration for the country’s athletes. “He loves sports and also loves Argentine athletes and people representing Argentina, so it was a unique moment,” he said. Colapinto also valued the fact that the meeting took place away from cameras and promotional actions. “Having the chance to meet him without marketing and without cameras, just with him and Rodrigo, was very cool,” he added.
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Messi was present at the Miami GP as a guest of Mercedes, even after Inter Miami was defeated by Orlando City. In the paddock, he met George Russell, Kimi Antonelli, and also spoke again with Colapinto.
The star’s presence coincided with the best weekend of the Argentine in Formula 1 so far. Colapinto managed to finish in the top 10 in both the Sprint and the main race qualifying. In the race, he initially finished eighth but inherited seventh position after a twenty-second penalty was applied to Charles Leclerc. The result represented the best performance by an Argentine driver in Formula 1 since Carlos Reutemann at the 1982 South African GP.
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