Franco Colapinto has only just joined the F1 grid, but his popularity has already skyrocketed. The Argentine driver made his debut in Italy last month and has already scored points in two of his four races. His growing fanbase was on full display after last weekend’s US Grand Prix, where chaos ensued due to the overwhelming crowd at the Circuit of the Americas.
Things went out of hand after Colapinto—F1’s first Argentine driver in over 20 years—climbed up the pit wall fence that was separating him from the crowd. His objective? To interact with as many admirers as he could.
Seeing how dangerous it could be to climb the fence and lean over for selfies and autographs, F1 security intervened. However, by then, it was too late to get the Williams driver down without a hassle.
Williams Racing fan zone was packed to see their young driver Franco Colapinto this afternoon pic.twitter.com/iXpMuq6CZ2
— Travis Recek (@TravisRecek) October 16, 2024
In a recent breakdown of the incident on his YouTube channel, veteran photojournalist Illman explained, “He [Franco Colapinto] made his way across the pit lane and boy these people were going absolutely berserk screaming his name, he signed so many things so quickly they were jammed up too…”
“He must have worked a 30 m long section of the fence trying to get to as many of these fans, who were chanting and singing with their flags before security came up. Marcus, who heads the security said, ‘Look you got to get him down, guys…’ They couldn’t get him down for a couple of minutes,” he added.
The guards had trouble getting Colapinto down, seemingly because of the fans swarming him — maybe even grabbing hold. Thankfully, nothing serious happened and the 21-year-old walked away before the situation worsened.
Could Colapinto find a place on the 2025 F1 grid?
If Colapinto continues performing as he has, he’s likely to attract even more followers and fans before the season ends. However, with just five races left in this campaign, he currently has no seat for 2025.
Williams has already secured Carlos Sainz for next year, leaving Colapinto searching for a spot. Still, his rising popularity, particularly in Argentina and across Latin America, could play a key role in his future.
It’s not just his name or nationality that stands out—Colapinto has already proven he has the talent to succeed in F1. In just four races, he’s earned five points, an impressive tally for a team that has struggled to break into the top ten this season.
One team that could benefit from his talent is Sauber, which has yet to finalize its 2025 lineup despite signing Nico Hulkenberg, one of its drivers, months ago. If that opportunity doesn’t materialize, Colapinto might face time on the sidelines.
