Franco Colapinto, from the comparison with Reutemann to cowards

In Mexico, where the 20th round of F1 will be held, the Argentine driver was consulted about Lole’s disobedience in 1981, days after he did not comply with an order from Alpine.

Carlos Reutemann’s disobedience in the 1981 Brazilian GP was marked in the history of F1. That Jones-Reut sign that they showed him from the Williams pitwall to show the Argentine the order in which he should finish the Jacarepaguá race was immortalized. The man from Santa Fe rebelled against the instructions shown to him from lap 55 to 59 and ended up crossing the finish line of the Rio track as a winner. Insubordination was taken as treason by Frank Williams and Lole ended up losing the championship by one point to Nelson Piquet in the parking lot of the Caesars Palace hotel in Las Vegas. The rebellion cost Reutemann dearly, support behind closed doors disappeared at key moments.

In the last United States GP, Franco Colapinto decided to disobey Alpine’s direct order, when he was told he had to maintain his position behind his teammate Pierre Gasly, despite having more pace in his A525 compared to the Frenchman’s, with older and worn tyres. Franco rebelled and his attitude did not go down well with the Enstone team’s leaders. Disobedience and F1 were never a good couple, it doesn’t go down well.

Steve Nielsen, director of Alpine, said he felt “disappointed” after the Austin race and that orders must be followed. The public preaching moved to an internal talk in which the Argentine received the slap on the wrist. Upon arriving in Mexico, Colapinto said that everything had been clarified and left a sentence that was sealed on his forehead during the headwash: “A team order must always be obeyed.”

During the press briefing, Franco was told that story about Reutemann. The contexts are totally distant, not only because of the hundreds of calendar pages that were consumed. Lole was winning the Brazilian race when he was asked to let Jones, who was running second, pass. Furthermore, Lole was in his 131st Grand Prix in the World Championship and already had ten wins on his record. That is to say, there was more backbone to attempt a rebellion. The Argentine picked up the glove and responded.

“I have Lole as a great idol. I don’t compare myself to him, they are different situations, but in the end history is not written by cowards. I am happy to be in F1 and I am putting everything into it to get what I want. I will always continue doing it and I am one of those who go to the front when competing with another. That is what differentiates us Argentines, that we put passion and determination,” Franco said.

Asked if his need to demonstrate for not having confirmed his continuity in Alpine in 2026 may have led him to disobey, the Argentine said: “My decision probably could have been different if I had a contract for next year. When you are fighting for your seat, the risk taken is greater. The decision must be different if you have a contract for three or four years, I don’t know because I haven’t experienced it. So the pressure is always there and it is high.”