This time Franco Colapinto did not have to rush into the paddock F2 to compete in the qualifications after having represented Williams during EL1 in Formula 1 as was the case at Silverstone last July. At the end of the first hour of driving at the Italian Grand Prix, the Argentinian went straight to the team truck to debrief the session and analyse the data with his engineer Gaëtan Jego and the rest of the team.
He was the one who guided him throughout the day. On the radio, the Frenchman transmitted a good amount of information to help the young beginner adapt. At the other end, the latter was diligent, applying everything that Gaëtan Jego asked him to do while being able to give precise feedback on his feelings, often in agreement with what his engineer saw on his computer, like when he told him that he was suffering with the rear and losing a lot of time according to him in the third sector. Data confirmed by Grove engineering.
Confident as the laps went by, Franco Colapinto was able to drive on the mediums and push a little more with the softs. He even ended his first day as an F1 driver with a 7-lap stint on the mediums to simulate the Williams' race pace, filling almost all the boxes in the specifications. As a little bonus, he finished tied with his teammate Alex Albon, with the best top speed: 353 km/h.
« Everyone was supportive and helped me pick up my pace., smiled Argentinian. I was able to finish the day in a positive way. I am happy with my Free Practice 2 because we were able to progress with the car. I felt more comfortable, in symbiosis with the car which is good news. Let's see how the rest goes, but in any case I really enjoyed this first day, and there is still a lot to come. It's a good start. » Satisfied with his work, Franco Colapinto will now have a final free practice session this Saturday (12:30 p.m.) before getting down to business with qualifying (16:00 p.m.) and the Grand Prix on Sunday (15:00 p.m.).
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