Williams F1 rookie Franco Colapinto laughs off ‘crazy’ Messi comparisons

Highly touted rookie Franco Colapinto of Argentina makes his debut astatine Monza this play amid comparisons helium is the ‘Messi of F1’.

Rookie Franco Colapinto brushed disconnected speech of him being Formula One’s Lionel Messi arsenic helium prepares for his debut astatine the Italian Grand Prix.

The 21-year-old volition go the archetypal Argentinian operator to vie successful F1 successful much than 20 years this play successful Monza aft replacing struggling Logan Sargeant for Williams.

His assignment delighted fans of the athletics backmost home, but asked whether helium felt similar shot icon Messi earlier the past World Cup, Colapinto said specified speech was “crazy”.

“It’s precise hard to consciousness arsenic Lionel Messi, I don’t cognize however it is to consciousness that,” Colapinto told reporters connected Thursday.

“But sometimes, I spot that they comparison maine and I’m like, ‘You guys are crazy. Like Messi is God; it’s similar you cannot, however are you comparing me?'”

Colapinto has not acceptable precocious expectations for his debut with Williams, who person a paltry 4 points successful the F1 constructors’ championship.

“I americium not expecting overmuch … I conscionable privation to spell measurement by step, I privation to absorption connected myself,” helium added.

“That’s the main happening I think. To beryllium capable to beryllium focused connected my job. To beryllium capable to bash what the squad expects. And I am, to beryllium honest, much than definite that I tin bash it.”

The enactment gets nether mode astatine Monza connected Friday with the archetypal 2 of the weekend’s 3 signifier sessions.

Argentinian operator Franco Colapinto poses for a photograph during an lawsuit with his sponsor Gulf, successful Buenos Aires, Argentina, August 12, 2024 [Juan Lopetegui/Gulf/Handout via Reuters]