Unforeseen encounter between Franco Colapinto and journalist Christine GZ: "I felt apprehensive"
In the 2025 Hungarian Grand Prix, Franco Colapinto qualified in 14th position, marking a modest improvement for the Alpine driver. The qualifying session saw Colapinto beat his teammate Pierre Gasly, with Gasly being eliminated in Q1.
Despite the promising qualifying result, Colapinto faced challenges during the race. He slipped down to 18th position due to issues such as blue flags, time lost in the pit lane due to problematic pit stops, and struggling with rear grip that caused sliding during the race.
The team acknowledged that while the pace was good at times in clean air, limiting factors like traffic and pit stop problems affected the overall result. Colapinto himself admitted that they're not yet where they want to be and they still have work to do to improve their position and maintain consistency.
Prior to the race, Colapinto expressed optimism about his performance, predicting a top 6 or top 7 finish. However, the race day proved to be a challenge.
The qualifying session, however, was a different story. Colapinto completed two high-level laps in Q1 and his pace was faster than Gasly's. His strong performance in qualifying even influenced Gasly to mimic his setup. Colapinto summarized his balance of the qualifying day as mixed feelings, as they couldn't be completely satisfied with the result but felt much better in the car and with more confidence.
The Alpine team had to adjust its approach to face the technical and strategic challenges of the Hungarian circuit after having a truly negative Friday. Despite the challenges, Colapinto's qualifying performance showed a significant improvement compared to previous sessions, which increased his confidence.
The weather will likely be a significant factor in the Hungarian Grand Prix. Colapinto, however, remains optimistic about his performance.
In a light-hearted moment during the post-qualifying press conference, Colapinto had a humorous reunion with journalist Christine Giampaoli Zonca, with whom he has starred in viral crosses since his return to Alpine.
Flavio Briatore, the team principal, praised Colapinto's performance, acknowledging the progress the young driver has made. Despite the challenging race, Colapinto's 14th position on the grid and his strong qualifying performance offer hope for future races.
Although the race presented several challenges for Franco Colapinto, his strong performance in sports significantly improved his health and confidence, particularly during the qualifying session. Colapinto's exceptional lap times demonstrated his potential in sports, potentially leading to improved results in future competitions.
