On Thursday, rookie driver Franco Colapinto dismissed comparisons to Formula One's Lionel Messi as he gears up for his maiden appearance at the Italian Grand Prix. This weekend in Monza, Colapinto will mark the first Argentine to race in F1 for over 20 years, stepping in for the struggling Logan Sargeant at Williams. His selection has thrilled local fans, yet when queried if he felt akin to football legend Messi ahead of the last World Cup, Colapinto deemed such comparisons as 'insane'. 'It's incredibly challenging to experience what Lionel Messi feels, I'm unsure how that feels,' Colapinto shared with journalists. 'Yet, I occasionally notice they liken me to him, and I think, you all are out of your minds, Messi is a deity, it's unfathomable to compare me to him.'
Colapinto has modest hopes for his first outing with Williams, a team currently holding only four points in the F1 constructors' championship. 'I'm not anticipating much... I aim to proceed gradually, concentrating on my performance,' he continued. 'That's my primary focus. Being able to concentrate on my role. Fulfilling what the team anticipates. And frankly, I'm confident I can achieve that.' The Monza race kicks off on Friday with the initial two of the three scheduled practice sessions.
