Franco Colapinto on his F1 dream: leaving Argentina at 14 and growing up alone in Europe. Franco Colapinto shares the story of his sacrifices on the road to Formula 1.

“Alone in Europe at 14”: Colapinto talks about his sacrifices for F1

Franco Colapinto arrived in the Formula 1 paddock carrying the weight of his country on his shoulders. Argentina, a nation struggling economically but fueled by its passion for sport, still cherishes the legacy of Diego Maradona and the emotions of its most recent World Cup triumph. A land that, when it saw one of its drivers wave the national flag, even put itself forward to host a Grand Prix. Yet, between a sip of mate and a joke about Lionel Messi, the eyes of Alpine’s young talent still reflect the sacrifices he made to reach such a Eurocentric sport as Formula 1.

“At 13 I raced in Europe for the first time, including the Karting Winter Cup in Italy. I finished second there with no preparation at all, and some people were impressed by this Argentine kid they had never heard of,” he told Beyond The Grid. After that event, a team decided to take him under their wing, financing both his racing career and his move to Europe. “I lived in a space above the workshop because they couldn’t afford apartments. I stayed there with some mechanics and watched their work every single day. On weekends and during holidays everyone would leave, and I was left completely alone. There was a shopping center nearby where I sometimes went, or I stayed home and cooked. I had no friends, I was in an industrial area with nothing around. I missed home a lot, especially when things weren’t going well.”

Such a radical change forced him to grow up quickly, leaving behind the activities and experiences typical of kids his age. “That was my school. I was living alone in a place I didn’t know, without speaking the language, so it was really tough. I felt three or four years older than I actually was, just because of the mental load. Everyone thought I was crazy, that my family was insane to let me live so far away at such a young age. But they knew what they were doing. I can’t imagine what they went through, but now it has paid off,” added the Argentine driver, speaking in front of a visibly moved Tom Clarkson. A life full of sacrifices has taken him to his goal. And even if the results are not yet matching those of the past, Franco Colapinto proudly admitted that he has no regrets.