Colapinto Takes the Lead in Miami: Seventh Place and Key Points for Alpine

🔗 READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: https://www.noticias.lat/articulo/69f... Colapinto Moves Up in Miami: Seventh Place and Key Points for Alpine ------------------------------------------------ Franco Colapinto, the Argentine driver for Alpine, achieved his best Formula 1 result to date at the 2026 Miami Grand Prix, crossing the finish line in eighth position and later being reclassified as seventh after Charles Leclerc's penalty. This performance earned him six valuable points for the French team, solidifying his performance this season. The 22-year-old driver surpassed his previous best result, obtained at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix with Williams, another street circuit he was racing on for the first time. Colapinto's ability to adapt to unfamiliar street circuits has become a defining characteristic of his driving. Communication between Colapinto and his engineer, Stuart Barlow, was key throughout the race. After crossing the finish line in eighth position, Barlow congratulated the driver: “Well done, very good job.” Colapinto's response reflected the team's satisfaction: “Bravo, bravo, bravo, good job. Mate, I'm so proud, so proud... You did an incredible job.” Barlow, in turn, praised the driver's consistency: “You drove very well all weekend, you did a solid job on a track you don't know.” Colapinto concluded: “Thanks, Stu. I'm very happy.” The race didn't start easily for the Argentine driver. A poor start from his grid position was offset by Max Verstappen's (Red Bull) spin, which allowed him to gain a place in the opening meters. However, contact with Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) on the first lap hampered his progress, although it didn't prevent him from continuing in the race. Hamilton subsequently overtook Colapinto on track. The race was neutralized, caused by Pierre Gasly's (Racing Bulls) rollover after contact with Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar's (Red Bull) crash into the wall, reshuffled the field and offered Colapinto a new opportunity. During this period, a significant exchange took place between the driver and his engineer. Barlow alerted Colapinto to the position of Gasly's car: "When you turn, you're going to see Pierre's car off to the side, tilted." Colapinto's concern for Gasly's condition was immediate: "Oh, God! Is Pierre okay?" Barlow informed him that Gasly was out of the car and walking, indicating that he was fine. At the restart, Colapinto was in seventh place, just behind Hamilton, whom he kept a close eye on before the British driver opened up a gap of one and a half seconds. By lap 27, with Hamilton and Oscar Piastri (McLaren) still waiting to pit, Colapinto had climbed to fourth, demonstrating his competitive pace. Colapinto's pit stop came on lap 32, thanks to efficient work by the Alpine mechanics. He rejoined the race in eighth place, maintaining that position for the final 20 laps. He managed to hold off the two Williams drivers, Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, and tried unsuccessfully to close the gap to Hamilton. Colapinto's performance was superior to that of his teammate, Pierre Gasly, even though the latter was sporting an upgraded rear wing that the Argentine driver did not have. Colapinto was faster than Gasly in both qualifying sessions, the Sprint Race and the main event, positioning Alpine as the fifth-best team of the season, the first among the teams not belonging to the leading group of Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull. With this result, Colapinto has accumulated 12 points since his debut in the category on September 1, 2014, in Italy. This season, he has scored points in two of the four races held: he finished tenth in China and now seventh in Miami. The victory in the Miami Grand Prix went to Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), who leads the championship. The podium was completed by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both of McLaren. Formula 1 will continue its schedule in North Carolina. 🧘 Are you stressed and want to relax? 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@DesdeRelaxSt... #news #currentaffairs #international