Colapinto's manager's emotion before his exhibition: "He is the epitome of humanity in F1"
Colapinto's manager's emotion before his exhibition: "He is the epitome of humanity in F1"
María Catarineu, who has accompanied the Argentine driver since his beginnings, provided details of the historic day on the streets of Buenos Aires.
One of the key figures behind Franco Colapinto's historic run on the streets of Buenos Aires is María Catarineu , his manager who has been with him since his early days in motorsport . Before the 22-year-old Argentinian took to the track in Palermo with the 2012 Lotus E20 and Juan Manuel Fangio 's Silver Arrow , the Spanish manager shared details of how the day unfolded for the driver from Pilar and showered him with praise for his work in Formula 1 .
“Incredible. This morning when we arrived in the car, which was very early, we were asking ourselves: What's more exciting? Monza, his first race which was very exciting, or this? And this is far superior... It's incredible, a tremendous thrill ,” Catarineu told ESPN , adding that the Road Show is more impactful than his debut with Williams in 2024.
Immediately, his representative, who also has the support of Jamie Campbell-Walter, praised Colapinto's enormous effort and the value he adds to Formula 1 with his personality. “ Franco is the people's champion. He's going to be champion, I'm telling you now. But, of course, he's the people's champion. I think he's the living example of humanity in Formula 1. If you take all 22 drivers, I'd put him number 1 in terms of what a human being truly is. Humble, hardworking, and he gives the sport a bit of meaning. His talent and his humanity , along with ours, have brought us here,” he emphasized.
“I get comments that people really value him. He’s an example of a human being who has worked since he was very little, sacrificing a lot … look where he is now. Nobody should give up, everyone can try,” added María Catarineu.
At the same time, the Spanish woman who leads the Bullet Sports Management agency emphasized how the Argentinian experienced his stay in the country and his efforts to reciprocate some of the affection he receives from the people: “ For years, every time we go to the races, he's been saying that there are so many Argentinians at every circuit . That's how I can connect with them. He wants to be with his people. So he's always asking himself, 'How do I do it?' Thanks to Gastón, the Dale Play team, and the City, it became a reality. He's had a smile on his face since we woke up. He wants to say, 'Now my people can see me .'”
“Whatever comes after this is welcome, but my mission is to fulfill your dreams. We have already fulfilled some, and this is another one on the list . We have a list of dreams that we have to fulfill, and little by little we will achieve them,” he added.
María Catarineu joked about all the events they're participating in and the barbecues they've had, and explained how Franco manages to stay focused on the upcoming Miami Grand Prix despite the excitement of the exhibition. “ I think today's event will give us two tenths of a second in Miami . We'll gain two tenths. He trades it off quite well. Obviously, there's a lot of excitement about everything that's happening to him this week. But every little bit of time it's 'hey, I'm going to train.' In his head, he's quite capable of saying, 'I'm in Miami, that's my focus.' And enjoying every minute of it. Miami hasn't left his mind ,” his representative concluded.
I’m very happy. Happy to be back in the country, in Argentina, after so long . I was here in December, but it’s great to reconnect with everyone. Bringing an F1 car back after so many years is special. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a kid . It’s going to create something very special in the country,” Colapinto commented at Friday’s press conference regarding the possibility of driving in Argentina.
The urban route along Avenida del Libertador, between Bullrich and Casares, will allow Colapinto to make four runs on the track in two unique models. The first run will be at 12:45 PM , driving a 2012 Lotus E20. At 2:30 PM , it will be the turn of the replica of the Mercedes-Benz W196. Then, at 3:15 PM , he will return to the wheel of the Lotus, this being the last lap in a Formula 1 car before transferring, at 3:55 PM, to an open-top bus . Giant screens will be located at strategic intersections such as Libertador and Casares, Libertador and Cavia, and next to the Planetarium. Each run is expected to last approximately 20 minutes .
