Motor racing-Colapinto draws Argentines to Brazil regardless of results

The only driver yet to score a point in Formula One this season has been one of the biggest draws at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, with Argentine fans flocking to cheer on Franco Colapinto at Interlagos.

His Alpine team are rooted to the bottom of the championship but Colapinto -- who crashed out early in Saturday's sprint race and was then 18th out of 19 on track in qualifying -- is box office. With the 22-year-old now sure of a seat next season, after being confirmed on Friday as continuing teammate for Pierre Gasly, there is little likelihood of his popularity dimming.

Argentina has not hosted a Formula One race since 1998, making Sao Paulo the nearest grand prix to home. Spanish has become a second language on the grandstands. "Franco brings us joy again, and we’re proud of him," said long-time F1 fan Julio Giulietti, who traveled 2,000 km from Necochea in Buenos Aires province to attend his first grand prix with friend Raul Perez.

"The results don’t matter to us anymore; what matters is the attitude Franco has shown lately." He referenced Colapinto's defiance of team orders to overtake Gasly during the Austin race.

Nicolas Otero, an Argentine who travelled from Costa Rica, said Colapinto's potential was evident. "This year things haven’t worked out because the team isn’t at its best either," he said.

Colapinto debuted with Williams late last year, becoming the first Argentine on the grid since 2001 and following in the footsteps of greats like Juan Manuel Fangio and Carlos Reutemann. He secured a seat at Alpine after the team replaced Australian Jack Doohan following the first six races.

On Thursday, Colapinto expressed his gratitude to the travelling support. "If I dreamt about one thing, it was to be racing in Brazil, to be racing in Interlagos, with all these fans, with all the people supporting me... they have been doing a massive effort to support me," he said.

Williams boss James Vowles praised Colapinto's "big turnaround" in the last races and mentioned the driver's "huge following": "He's showing the world the performance I saw when he was with Williams. I think he's earned that seat for next year... I think he's got a bright future."

Despite the historical football rivalry between Brazil and Argentina, Colapinto described the country as "like a second home" and highlighted his friendship with Sauber's Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto. "In motorsport, we are 20 drivers, we are racing against Europeans, from many other places in the world, and I think Brazil and Argentina are united in this sport," he said.