Formula 1 Driver Franco Colapinto's Close Call at the Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix is in full swing in Formula 1, and Franco Colapinto made a scarecrow finish in the second free practice session after a hair-raising brush with the wall, ultimately placing 15th in the standings. Reflecting on the session, Colapinto expressed regret over not garnering a better result but chose to laugh off the close call, saying, 'I gave the wall more than a kiss, I hugged it.'

When questioned about the close call at the first corner during FP2, Colapinto candidly addressed the incident with a bit of humor: 'It was a little more than a little kiss... I gave it a hug! Fortunately, nothing broke, but I believe I've learned how to hit the wall in Canada and today.'

The incident occurred in the Sainte-Devote sector, where a tire lock-up sent Colapinto veering wide while attempting his third flying lap on soft tires. Colapinto's Alpine car grazed the barrier on its left side, but fortunately, it sustained minimal damage, allowing him to return to the track.

Colapinto's comments, though light-hearted about the incident, showed that there's still a lot to be worked on: 'We have a lot to improve on; it wasn't a great day. Hopefully, the work we do tonight will be enough to change what we're missing and be better tomorrow.'

Regarding the challenges he faced on the legendary street circuit, the Argentine driver was direct and admitted that they still hadn't found the right setup for his car: 'The track is fine, but the car gave us a bit more trouble than in other races. Generally, it doesn't feel well and isn't consistent throughout the laps and corners. That's what makes it toughest on a track like Monaco, where confidence matters more.'

On a more positive note, in his first practice session, Colapinto posted a best time of 1:16.189 in 31 laps, and in the second session, he improved to 1:14.758 in 29 more laps. The action will continue on Saturday morning, commencing at 7:30 a.m. Argentina time, with FP3, while qualifying will begin that same day at 11 a.m. The race, meanwhile, will be 78 laps long on Sunday, commencing at 10 a.m. Argentina time.