Franco Colapinto fought back to finish ninth and score two points for Alpine at the Italian Grand Prix, but the result was not enough to erase the frustration of a major opportunity lost at Monza. After climbing as high as the battle for the podium following the second start, an early mistake at Lesmo sent the Argentine to the back of the field and ultimately left him in tears as he reflected on what might have been.
It was a weekend of contrasting emotions for Alpine. On Saturday, the Enstone team celebrated Pierre Gasly’s historic pole position, while Franco Colapinto also played at least some part in the celebrations by securing eighth place on the grid. Both cars then finished in the points on Sunday, with Pierre Gasly crossing the line seventh and Franco Colapinto recovering to ninth.
Franco Colapinto misses major Monza opportunity after strong start
For Franco Colapinto, however, Sunday was anything but a celebration. The Argentine made an excellent getaway when the lights went out and, after the second start, had climbed into fourth place. For a few moments, the Alpine number 43 even moved into a virtual podium position in third.
Then came a sudden off-track moment at Lesmo, which sent Franco Colapinto tumbling to the back of the field. He produced an impressive recovery drive to climb all the way back to ninth, adding two more points to his tally in the 2026 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, but the result could not disguise his disappointment.
Speaking to Spanish-language media after the Grand Prix, the Franco Colapinto was overcome by regret and frustration as he analysed his race, eventually breaking down in tears.
Colapinto breaks down in tears after Italian Grand Prix
“It was a difficult race,” Franco Colapinto said. “There’s nothing to say, it’s really frustrating: I think I had a great opportunity and I didn’t take advantage of it, so I’m sad, very sad. I think this could have been a great race with a really good result.”
“A very important opportunity for the team and for me was lost, so I’m a little sad. We have to learn from it and move forward,” he added through his tears.
The images of Franco Colapinto crying in front of the television cameras quickly went viral on social media. The reaction was amplified by the enormous following the Argentine has built not only in his home country, but throughout South America.
Madrid offers Colapinto an immediate chance to respond
The positive news for Franco Colapinto is that he will not have to wait long for an opportunity to put the disappointment behind him. Formula 1 heads straight to Madrid this weekend, where every driver will face the challenge of learning a completely new circuit.
The new Madring venue is the next stop on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, and strong support for the Argentine Alpine driver can again be expected in Spain.
Monza nevertheless demonstrated both sides of Franco Colapinto’s afternoon. His pace and recovery were enough to salvage ninth place and two points after dropping to the rear of the field, but the fact he had briefly been fighting near the podium explains why the final result brought frustration rather than satisfaction.
Franco Colapinto can't hold back his tears as he speaks to the press after the racepic.twitter.com/fG1t1ypkw1
— Holiness (@F1BigData) September 6, 2026
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