Franco Colapint

The Argentine pilot closed his best round of the weekend at the right time, took advantage of others and ended in the group of 15 in the qualy of the tenth date of F1.

After a complicated Friday and a third training from Saturday morning in which Alpine was far from everyone, the 14th final place of Franco Colapinto in the classification is a result that for the moment even seemed unexpected. Already the fact of passing the ribbon of Q1 seemed unattainable for the French team and the Argentine pilot. But Franco managed to close his best round of the weekend at the right time (1M05S278) and, supported by some unexpected falls, got into Q2.

Colapint failed to have that necessary confidence in its A525 in the essays, especially to face the third sector, that of rapid curves, incredibly its preferred part of the Red Bull Ring. That penalized it a lot, however, some surprises helped him get into the group of 15 in Q1. Like Lance Stroll, who had a good Friday, but fell on Saturday, while Fernando Alonso, his partner from Aston Martin, arrived at Q3. Or Carlos Sainz, who complained not to be able to carry his right Williams and also stayed in the first segment. Or Nico Hülkenberg, who came from two very good races with Sauber and in Austria was last, while Gabriel Bortoleto put the other Swiss car for the first time in Q3.

Franco’s combo squeezing everything he could to Alpine, added to the problems of some, opened a door that seemed unthinkable for the Argentine. After his very complicated Friday, I could say that he mitigated the damage. Already in Q2, he failed to improve his time with respect to Q1, by little: it was ten thousandths slower and was 14th, 236 thousandths of Kimi Antonelli, who closed the group of ten that reached Q3.

In the direct comparison that Pierre Gasly, Colapinto lost in Q1 for 224 thousandths (the Frenchman was fourth) and by 442 in the Q2 (Pierre was sixth). The Red Bull and Alpha Tauri expilot arrived at Q3 and closed the batch with a spectacular spin in the last curve and will leave tenth. The French showed a plus that the Alpine does not enter to get so far in classification. Colapinto, in his final attempt in search to advance for the first time to Q3 with Alpine, said small errors, especially half a back onwards (he spent a little in the eighth curve) and did not reach him.

Colapint must leave from the 14th drawer and must bet on a very good strategy to be able to think about the points. It will also cost Gasly to take units to Estone, because the lack of power of the Renault engine in the fast layout will complicate them to attack and defend. But after complicated Friday, the result of Colapint and Alpine in general ended up being better than expected.