TREMAYNE: Miami proved Argentina’s new hope Colapinto has rediscovered his mojo

After a dip in 2025, Franco Colapinto has found his groove again – and the F1 buzz is well and truly back among Argentinian F1 fans, writes F1 Hall of Fame journalist David Tremayne.

May 09, 2026 9:10am UTC

Hall of Fame F1 JournalistDavid Tremayne

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - SEPTEMBER 19: Franco Colapinto of Argentina and Alpine F1 looks on during

You’re 22-years-old, racing in F1 for Alpine, and an estimated 600,000 people in your home country have turned out to cheer you as your team stages a demonstration for a nation which, many, many years ago, took Grand Prix victories for granted thanks to the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio.

No wonder Franco Colapinto was buzzing when he recently arrived in Miami, and then went on to out-qualify Alpine team mate Pierre Gasly and finish seventh after an excellent drive for which (turning a blind eye to a first lap ‘rub’ with Lewis Hamilton) I awarded him 10 points.