Franco Colapinto Makes a Strong Comeback After One-Month Break

F1 news: Former F1 driver, Jolyon Palmer, identifies a one-month break between Japan and Miami as the key reason behind Franco Colapinto's recent performance boost, after getting the chance to 'reset' totally.

Colapinto started the season with a disappointing showing, scoring just one point in his first three rounds before finding his form in Miami and Canada. The Argentine driver managed to qualify for two consecutive Q3 sessions and collected 14 points in the two races, outperforming his teammate, Pierre Gasly.

It's worth noting that in Miami and Canada, Colapinto received upgrades to his car - which were initially fitted to Gasly's vehicle - and this seemed to make him feel more comfortable with the Alpine A526. Although this ultimately worked in his favor, Palmer believes that the power of a 'total reset' shouldn't be underestimated.

In an interview on the F1 Nation podcast, Palmer asked Colapinto about the reason behind his impressive turnaround, and the 23-year-old driver replied: 'I'm not sure he really knew. I spoke to him after the race; he came on our show, and he said the break between Japan and Miami was really good for getting a little 'reset'.'

'He said he drove well at the start of the year but was clearly still chasing in comparison to Pierre, who was really on it. They brought some new parts to the car in Miami, and he seemed to get a good handle on it, making fewer mistakes and finding more pace. Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of downtime, and you come back with a fresh mindset – it worked.'

The break coincided with Colapinto competing in a special F1 demonstration event in his home country, Argentina, in front of 600,000 spectators. Palmer believes this event was also incredibly beneficial for the young driver.

'Sometimes, it's just having your mind clear of things, and that's what a break can do for you. Colapinto came back with a different perspective. Instead of dwelling on 'Oh, this is all too hard. Pierre is better,' he came back thinking, 'Wait, I can actually do this.' It's really good to get a 'reset.'

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