Franco Colapinto Admits He Will Be Far More Nervous for Argentina’s World Cup Final Than Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix

• Franco Colapinto says he will be far more nervous for Sunday’s World Cup final between Argentina and Spain than for the Belgian Grand Prix itself.
• Fernando Alonso admitted his main focus on race day will be getting home in time to watch Spain in the final.
• Lewis Hamilton, Arvid Lindblad and Ollie Bearman reflected on England’s semi-final exit to Argentina, while Carlos Sainz sent Spain a message of support before the tournament began.

Franco Colapinto will start Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps with one eye already on New York, where Argentina face Spain in the World Cup final just hours after the chequered flag falls. The Alpine driver says the football, not the race, is what will actually test his nerves.

“I’m definitely going to be much more nervous about the match than the race,” Colapinto said ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. He arrived in the paddock on Thursday wearing an Argentina shirt with Lionel Messi’s number 10 on the back, a day after his country’s 2-1 semi-final win over England, a game Argentina won in the closing ten minutes after trailing.

When the tournament began, eighteen drivers on the grid had a nation still involved, spread across eleven countries. By Sunday, only two of those nations are still playing.

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Colapinto Draws on Argentina’s Comeback

Colapinto described the semi-final as a rollercoaster night for Argentina’s supporters. “Yesterday we had a lot of fun, a lot of suffering. But if you don’t suffer a bit, you’re not Argentinian. It was one of those matches that, you are really nervous, but then you celebrate a lot. So it was a long night, but very fun.”

He said the team’s fight from behind reflected something he recognized in his own approach to racing. “In Argentina we learn since we are young never to give up and to keep pushing, and in the tricky moments and situations, to keep going forward, and that’s exactly what they’ve done. That’s why I am so proud to be Argentinian, and I’m so proud to be supporting our country and the way that they defended the shirt.”

Argentina lifted the World Cup four years ago, and Colapinto has reason to believe another title is within reach. “In this World Cup, they have not been playing great at times, but they always give their maximum until the very end. I really appreciate what they’ve done for us and the country. I’m proud to be supporting my country. They teach me to not give up in my sport, to keep trying until the very end, as it’s never over until it’s over. That’s what they showed on the pitch.”

Alonso Racing Against the Clock to Get Home

Fernando Alonso is not expecting much from Aston Martin at Spa, a circuit that has offered no relief in a season where he has taken just one point from nine rounds in an uncompetitive Honda-powered car. His focus this weekend lies elsewhere.

“It will be different, as we don’t expect much this weekend,” Alonso said. “The main focus on Sunday will be to get home and watch the match, to be honest.”

The two-time champion faces a logistical scramble to catch the final. “It’s going to be tricky because we are flying back home. So maybe again on Sunday the second half will be probably the moment that I will watch the game. And the first half, just miss it.”

His Williams-driving countryman Carlos Sainz sent the Spanish national team a message of support before the tournament began: “To the entire Spanish national football team, the very best of luck in this World Cup. We will be right behind you every step of the way. The whole of Spain is with you. A big hug and lots of luck.” Spain beat France 2-0 in their semi-final to reach Sunday’s final.

England’s Exit Splits Opinion Among British Drivers

England’s run ended in the same semi-final that sent Argentina through, and the response among the sport’s English drivers ranged from heartbreak to a more measured satisfaction. Lewis Hamilton said: “I watched in pain last night, but I’m so proud of the boys for getting us as far as they did. I can imagine how much work they put in, and how much time and effort, and of course they had all the support. But it was tough against Argentina. I just felt gutted for them, sitting there with my fingers, everything crossed, hoping that we would pull it off! We’ll bounce back!”

Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad watched with the same disappointment. “I did watch the game, but I wasn’t enjoying it. I can understand it’s an incredibly difficult team to play for, and I think for me, it was just sad as a fan. I felt like it was one of the first times in a while that I’ve watched England, and they really had that grit. It felt like they really wanted to win. They were playing against Argentina, and I believe we were the better team up to their goal. It’s just a bit sad how the game changed, how they decided to play differently. I understand you want to secure the result but I think it was a bit too much. I think it’s just a bit sad that we didn’t get to go through because I think the team worked hard enough.”

Haas driver Ollie Bearman took a brighter view of a tournament that saw England reach just their fourth World Cup semi-final. “It was really nice to get into some football again, I enjoyed watching it. Although it wasn’t the result we were looking for, it was still a great performance. I think as a Brit, I can be proud that we did a strong performance.”

A Bronze Medal Match Before the Final

England and France meet in Saturday night’s third-place match after both were eliminated at the semi-final stage, France beaten 2-0 by Spain and England beaten 2-1 by Argentina. Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar and Esteban Ocon are expected to follow France’s fortunes closely, with Norris, Russell, Hamilton, Bearman and Lindblad behind England.

Sunday’s Grand Prix goes ahead first, with lights out at Spa-Francorchamps hours before the world’s attention turns to New York for Argentina against Spain in the World Cup final.

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Written by

Jack Renn

Jack Renn is an editor at F1 Chronicle and a veteran motorsport journalist with 25 years of experience covering Formula 1 and international motorsport. A member of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), the global body representing accredited sports journalists, Jack has spent his career reporting from paddocks and press rooms across the F1 calendar. His work spans race analysis, technical insight, and in-depth features, giving readers authoritative coverage grounded in decades of firsthand experience at the highest level of the sport.

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