Franco Colapinto, who is going through a tough stretch, suffered a horrible crash in Las Vegas during qualifying. After suffering a 50G impact, there were doubts over whether the 21-year-old could even take part in the race, and although he was able to, he was shaken and had a quiet outing under the lights of the Sin City.
It has been a few days since Colapinto‘s shunt, and the team has shifted its focus to the Qatar GP. They have all moved on; Alex Albon in particular, who discussed the crash lightheartedly with Colapinto on the Team Torque podcast.
“50Gs in a nightclub will get you a long way. But 50Gs in a crash doesn’t get you far,” Albon said. Colapinto chuckled, imagining the volume of gin liquor Albon was referring to.
The Thai-British driver was quite pleased with his joke and said, “I feel like Aristotle [the Greek philosopher].”
Franco Colapinto is medically cleared to race in the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Williams Racing announced.
He suffered a 50G impact during his crash at Qualifying. pic.twitter.com/rn8vJpa7Ds
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) November 24, 2024
It may be a laughing matter now, but Colapinto gave Williams quite a scare in Las Vegas. He was placed under medical observation following the impact, with the Grove-based outfit being very cautious about the Argentine’s health.
Colapinto also discussed the incident with Albon, who, speaking from experience (having been in F1 since 2019), admitted that those outside F1 may not fully understand the ‘dizzy’ feeling drivers experience after such a strong impact.
Colapinto hit the halo in Vegas crash
The 21-year-old joked that the dizzy feeling he experienced after the crash was similar to what Max Verstappen might have felt after a night-long bender in Sin City celebrating his fourth championship. While Albon and Colapinto shared a laugh over this comment, the ex-Red Bull driver also pointed out that the sensation can closely resemble the effects of a hangover.
Albon went on to explain that during crashes with significant lateral load, the driver’s head can often bang against the headrest, highlighting the critical importance of a sturdy helmet to protect the driver’s head.
To this, Colapinto added that during his crash in Vegas, his head hit the halo, which likely exacerbated his feeling. Such high-impact crashes always carry a risk of concussion, which is why teams and on-track medical crews prioritize a driver’s safety after such incidents.
