Colapinto: 'Finally we can smile a little after a tough weekend'

Franco Colapinto secured a ninth-place finish in the British Grand Prix, earning crucial points for the Alpine team after a challenging weekend. The Argentine driver admitted that the team could "finally sketch a small smile" following the demanding event at Silverstone.

Starting from 19th on the grid, Colapinto acknowledged the difficulty of the race and the initial low expectations for scoring points. "We had some luck, but we got into the fight and knew how to take advantage of it at the end of the race," he stated. He was pleased with the ten-position recovery, exceeding initial hopes.

The result was particularly satisfying as both Alpine cars scored points, with teammate Pierre Gasly finishing tenth. "It has been nice to have both cars scoring in the team's home race," Colapinto commented.

Reflecting on the race, Colapinto expressed regret that there was no restart after the safety car. He had been aiming to challenge for eighth place but noted that the "Racing Bulls have been stronger than us the last two weekends." He emphasized the need for the team to continue improving the car's performance in upcoming races. Colapinto currently sits thirteenth in the World Championship standings with 18 points.