photo: RN 365
Franco Alejandro Colapinto is a 5’ 9” Argentinian. His mom is of Ukrainian descent and his dad is of Italian descent. He was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina and at the age of 13 he won his first Argentine Championship. Less than a year later he moved to Italy by himself at the age of 14 to pursue this career.
What career? Motorsports.
He started Karting at age 9, then went on to race in Formula 4, Formula 3, Formula 2 and now, at age 21, is one of the 20 elite drivers competing in Formula 1 racing for 2024. In fact, he is the first Argentine driver for Formula 1 in 23 years.
Last week, I had the unreal opportunity to watch all the practice, qualifying, and race laps of the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix from our 17th floor hotel room. We had a perfect view of these elite race cars as they navigated Turns 9, 10 and 11 at speeds up to 180 mph.
Until then, I had no idea who any of these racers were, let alone Franco Colapinto.
According to F1, during the race qualifying on Friday “the Argentinian made it through to Q2 and was aiming for the top-10 shootout when he struck the inside wall at Turn 16 and slammed into the barrier on the other side of the track.”
Going into the crash, Colapinto was projected to start in 14th position.
After that crash during those qualifying laps? Well, he had a few things to consider in entering the race the next day.
1. Assess the situation.
Colapinto and his team had to quickly assess the damage to his car, identify priority repairs, and determine whether he was physically and mentally ready to race. A clear assessment was necessary for everything that followed.
2. Leverage his support system.
Colapinto’s comeback wasn’t a solo effort – his Williams crew expertly worked to repair his car and get him back on track. Their speed, skill, and dedication to getting him back in the car was critical in making his race possible.
3. Start strategically.
After his medical assessment, Colapinto was allowed to re-enter the race – but at a disadvantage. He would be starting from the pit lane. This meant he had to strategize on making steady progress and seizing opportunities where he could.
4. Regain his mindset.
Rejoining a race like this after a crash takes mental resilience and focus. Colapinto had to let go of the incident and put his mind on the road ahead, not what had already happened.
5. Build momentum.
Once back on track, Colapinto concentrated on building momentum. Each clean corner, consistent lap, and strategic pass brought him closer to regaining his rhythm and edge.
He ended up in 14th place. Right where he was supposed to be.
The lesson?
Assess the situation.
Leverage your support system.
Start strategically.
Regain your mindset.
Build momentum.
I can’t wait to hear about the races you’re re-entering. And how you are landing exactly where you’re meant to be. And if you need help with any of it, I’d love to be part of your pit crew.
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