Franco Colapinto is grateful for his first meeting with Lionel Messi ahead of the Miami GP. Even before the Argentine world star visited him in the paddock, the two had already shaken hands at the Inter Miami CF stadium. Colapinto said that Messi surprised him with his interest in motorsport. According to the young Alpine driver, his compatriot has a broad interest in sports, particularly Argentine athletes.
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The media in Miami asked Colapinto what the meeting with Lionel Messi meant to him. “It was something I have always dreamed of,” he admitted. “A very special moment. And he actually knew quite a lot about Formula 1; he surprised me with his questions. He even asked me about the demonstration run.” A few days before the Miami GP, the young driver caused a stir on the streets of Buenos Aires in an old Alpine car.
Sincere interest
That sincere interest from Messi made a deep impression, Colapinto explained. “He loves sports and Argentine athletes,” he continued. “So yes, it was a very unique moment. If you ask an Argentine who they would most like to meet, the answer is always Lionel. I had wanted that myself for a long time, and now I got that chance. It was great that it could also happen without cameras or marketing obligations.”
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Messi was present in the paddock during the Miami GP as a guest of Mercedes. The extra Argentine support visibly did Colapinto good; he finished eighth and thereby equaled his best ever result in the top class. Due to time penalties for Charles Leclerc, he even moved up to P7 afterwards and gained even more valuable points for Alpine.
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