'Never give up': Franco Colapinto admits 20-win Ferrari legend was his ‘inspiration’ to reach Formula 1

Alpine driver Franco Colapinto is one of a small group of drivers from Argentina to ever reach Formula 1.

Less than 30 drivers from Argentina have raced in Formula 1, with Franco Colapinto the latest to make his debut at last year’s Italian Grand Prix.

Colapinto has now moved to Alpine after replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams for the final nine races of the 2024 campaign.

The 22-year-old stepped into Jack Doohan’s seat this year, and despite not scoring a point in 2025, he looks set to see out the rest of the campaign.

Colapinto has addressed his F1 future, but the journey to reach the sport wasn’t easy.

After moving to Italy as a 14-year-old, Colapinto went on to win the Spanish F4 Championship and rose through the ranks to reach Formula 3, where his relationship with Williams started.

Before gracing the Formula 1 paddock, Colapinto started racing around the world, and he’s now recalled how Ferrari legend Rubens Barrichello, who won 20 races in his career, gave him some advice that he still remembers today.

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Franco Colapinto calls Rubens Barrichello his ‘inspiration’ after F1 career advice

Colapinto recalled a story on the Beyond The Grid Podcast where he was racing in America earlier in his career, and after a crash with the championship leader, he received a 35-place grid penalty.

The Argentinian explained: “Rubens Barrichello was watching because his kids were there in the same race.

“And I got like a 35-place penalty, I have the photo of the paper.

“He came to the tent after the race. It was the first time I met him, and he just said some really nice and kind words.

“He said, I know how hard it is to be South American. I went through the same steps, but never give up. I’ve seen your race, and I’ve seen that you’re very talented, and the moves that you were doing in the race, it’s clear, you’re Argentinian.

“It was just a moment that stayed in my mind, and the things that he said in private were… Like, I was a bit in shock because I used to watch his old footage of his old races.

“I was very nervous, but it was a nice moment. And I keep that memory in my mind because I think it was the moment that made me realise, like, OK, let’s do this, and I can maybe actually make it.

“You could say it was a bit of an inspiration in a tricky moment and a moment that you’re on the floor and at the bottom, you get something like this, and it suddenly pumps you up and you’re like, OK, let’s go to the next one.”

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Where Franco Colapinto ranks among Formula 1’s best Argentinian drivers

Only 10 Argentinian drivers have entered more than 10 Grand Prix in F1 history.

By the end of the 2025 season, if Paul Aron doesn’t replace Colapinto at the tail end of the campaign, Alpine’s number two driver will be among the top three appearance makers in Formula 1.

The most famous Argentinian to race in Formula 1 is Juan Manuel Fangio, who won five world championships in the 1950s.

Fangio won 24 of his 51 Grand Prix starts and was on pole position for more than half of the races he competed in.

Carlos Reutemann is the only Argentinian to take part in more than 100 Grand Prix (146), winning 12 times and narrowly missing out on the 1981 championship to Nelson Piquet.

Argentina’s only other race winner was Jose Froilan Gonzalez, who raced against Fangio in the 1950s, although Onofre Marimon and Carlos Menditeguy both stood on the podium in F1.

Colapinto has yet to match any of their achievements and must first concentrate on retaining his place on the grid for 2026 and beyond.