Franco Colapinto arrived at the Spa-Francorchamps paddock carrying Argentina’s football passion into the Formula 1 weekend. The Argentine driver wore the national team shirt and unfurled a flag featuring Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona before the Belgian Grand Prix.
The display came hours before Colapinto was due to race from 11th on the grid, with the World Cup final also on the minds of fans far from New Jersey. His arrival turned the paddock into a brief celebration of Argentina’s national team before attention returned to the track.
A World Cup mood at Spa-Francorchamps
Formula 1 shared video of Colapinto entering the circuit with the flag and opening it in front of photographers. The championship’s official account wrote, “¡Franco representando a Argentina el día de la carrera!”
Alpine also captured the moment, with Colapinto singing “Olé, olé, olé…” while waving the flag in the paddock. He also joined in with the World Cup chant, “Por Malvinas por el Diego, por la última de Leo…”
According to www.ole.com.ar, Colapinto was not the only driver bringing football colors to Spa on race day. Carlos Sainz arrived wearing Spain’s national team shirt alongside members of his team, while Fernando Alonso played keepie-uppies in the Aston Martin garage.
| Driver | National-Team Link | Paddock Moment |
|---|---|---|
| Franco Colapinto | Argentina shirt | Displayed a Messi and Maradona flag |
| Carlos Sainz | Spain shirt | Arrived with members of his team |
| Fernando Alonso | Following the World Cup atmosphere | Did keepie-uppies in the Aston Martin garage |
Colapinto’s points target
The Belgian Grand Prix gave Colapinto an opportunity to chase a place in the top 10 and score points. He was set to start 11th at Spa-Francorchamps, just outside the points-paying positions.
The race was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. in Argentina and was available there on Fox Sports and Disney+ Premium. The football final remained part of the day’s atmosphere, but Colapinto’s focus on track was a push toward the points.
