Franco Colapinto was gloomy in and around the Brazilian Grand Prix this weekend. The contrast was telling: a far cry from his usual happy and enthusiastic demeanor. He was almost hiding from the world, wearing his cap low and walking about with the headphones on.
Just hours before he landed in Sao Paulo for the Grand Prix, he had received the sad news of the passing of his grandfather, Leonidas Colapinto. He was shattered, understandably, and possibly wanted to be with his family rather than go through the paces of a race weekend.
Leonidas, a prominent lawyer, writer, and family man, passed away in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. He was 89.
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Leonidas specialized in Family Law and Human Rights. He worked at the Bahia Blanca Bar Association, where he founded institutes for both Procedural Law and Family Law.
He continued working in these fields before retiring in 2000. He then shifted focus to writing, and authored numerous books and essays. His work raised awareness on issues such as persecution due to gender, religion, race, and nationality.
Some of his well-known works include The Maiden at the Bonfire (The Last Days of Joan of Arc), The Biblical Legend, Myths, Plagiarisms and Lies, Iniquities of Adoption, The Incestuous Daughter, and Seduced or Pretender.
Despite losing his grandfather, Franco decided to continue with his race duties, showing his determination to keep proving himself on the track. It was a tough, and sad decision to make. But it that reflects his commitment to racing, as he continues to chase his dream to secure a permanent seat next season.
Franco shared his love for horses with his grandfather
Leonidas had a profound love for horses. In a recent interview with the La Nueva Provincia, Franco’s father, Anibal Colapinto, shared some memories of his dad’s passion for horses.
“My father would have liked me to be short and skinny to become a jockey,” Aníbal humorously said.
He even shared a story about how he once sold one of his father’s horses to buy his first motorcycle. That got him into a lot of trouble with Leonidas, who didn’t like motor racing.
While Leonidas wasn’t keen on his son joining motorsports, his influence didn’t keep Franco away from it. However, Leonidas’ love for horses left a mark on Franco.
The Argentine racing driver detailed it to clarin.com in an interview, sharing how he still rides horses when he returns to Argentina.
“I love horse riding. Whenever I go back to Argentina in the summer I ride a lot. I really enjoy that. It takes you away a bit, you get out of the city, out of Buenos Aires, and you go to the countryside for a few days, it’s great,” Franco said.
When asked if he rides well, Franco replied confidently, saying, “Yes, I ride well. I did when I was very young too.”
