Argentina’s desire for its next sporting hero

Franco Colapinto’s confident performances have not only taken the Formula 1 paddock by surprise, but the Williams rookie has also sparked a country’s desire for its next sporting hero.

There are few countries that are as sporty as Argentina. Consider the scenes in the capital Buenos Aires after national icon Lionel Messi finally led the country to win the World Cup, with an estimated five million Argentinians taking to the streets in the frenzied aftermath.

At the other end of the spectrum are the three days of mourning declared after Messi’s predecessor Diego Maradona died in 2020, prompting similar mass gatherings as fans traveled from across the South American country to pay their respects during the pandemic.

Things haven’t been easy for the Argentinians lately. After years of economic decline, Argentina’s inflation rate rose to 250% over the summer, with an estimated 52.9% of its 46 million residents living in poverty. That downturn led to right-wing libertarian Javier Milei being elected president last year, armed with radical deregulation policies to fix the economy and turn around the ailing nation, under the watchful eye of the International Monetary Fund that has given Argentina up to $44 billion borrowed. .

Argentinian flag

Photo by: Andre Vor / Sutton Images

Argentina is a patriotic nation at the best of times, but amid economic malaise, its citizens are even more eager to find new reasons to be proud of their country. That practice even has its own word; exitismo, which is defined as “an excessive drive for success or an excessive appreciation of one’s achievements by others.”

When Messi won the coveted World Cup in Doha in 2022, his eagerness for success was rewarded in spectacular fashion. What better way to boost a nation’s morale than sporting success on the world’s biggest stage? But the erratic 37-year-old is now in the twilight of his career, and while Argentina also fiercely celebrates its hockey and rugby teams, it is always looking for that next sporting hero to inspire the country in difficult times.

It goes without saying that there’s a gulf between guiding your country to the World Cup and finishing eighth in a Williams, but 21-year-old Colapinto is now riding a similar wave of homeland support that has also seen NBA star Manu Ginobili supported. , tennis player Gabriela Sabatini or hockey legend Luciana Aymar.

The country has a rich history with F1, with a Grand Prix held intermittently in Buenos Aires between 1953 and 1998. Four of these were won by Argentina’s original F1 superstar, Juan Manuel Fangio, with Carlos Reutemann being the last Argentinian to win a Grand Prix in 1981. Since a brief interlude from Gaston Mazzacane in 2000 and 2001, fans have had to wait another 23 years to cheer on one of their own until Williams protégé Colapinto was surprisingly dropped into Logan Sargeant’s seat at the Italian Grand Prix of September.

While Colapinto’s unexpected promotion made headlines at home, the Buenos Aires native’s strong performance caused even more controversy. TV viewership and social media have soared in recent weeks, with FOX Sports Argentina’s broadcast figures tripling since Colapinto’s arrival. FOX, just one of many ways to watch F1 in the country, saw even bigger highlights during the Singapore GP, which attracted around 600,000 viewers, compared to an average of 150,000 on the subscription channel, matching primetime numbers on Sunday morning. Countless articles appeared in local newspapers detailing his every move, with journalists even tracking down his hometown of Pilar on the outskirts of the sprawling metropolis of Buenos Aires.

Argentinian fans watch the Singapore Grand Prix in Franco Colapinto’s hometown of Pilar, Argentina

Photo by: Municipalidad de Pilar

The citizens organize F1 viewing parties, which will become even more numerous when the championship next moves to the Americas and time zones, so that Argentine families can watch the races live during their beloved Sunday lunch. Those lucky enough to travel have been trying to grab the chance to see their new hero up close at the upcoming Brazilian GP, ​​which is largely sold out.

“I’m very happy to have so much support from my country,” Colapinto told Autosport in an exclusive interview in Singapore. “It’s very special and to see everyone so happy with the good results we’re getting as a team at Williams, it’s nice to see them enjoying it so much. I’m really looking forward to going to Brazil. is a very special experience.” Because I’m from Argentina, it’s almost my home race, so there will be a lot of fans.”

Argentine sponsors were quick to spot an opportunity, with Mercado Libre and Globant flocking to Williams just days after Colapinto’s seat for the remainder of the 2024 season was announced.

“I’m really proud,” Colapinto added. “To be honest, since Williams announced I was going to race with them in F1, so many companies have come and arrived, and hopefully more will come soon, which is great to see. Globant was one of the first to sign me helped to get into Formula 2, and to have them in the car now is very nice. And Mercado Libre is one of the biggest companies in South America, and it is very nice to see.

Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing

Photo by: Williams

Managing a country’s growing expectations

The Argentine government was also quick to see an opportunity to piggyback on Colapinto’s early success, with Tourism Minister Daniel Scioli announcing plans to revive the Argentine GP. “I’m going to take care of it because I talked to President Javier Milei about bringing Formula 1,” he said at an event organized by the International Tourism Federation. “I have no doubt that discussions are already underway to bring it to our country, because today it is allowed to think big.”

Revitalizing the race has often been a dream in the past, but Scioli’s delegation now plans to travel to the Brazilian GP to hold exploratory talks in F1. Given the state of the economy and the high demand to claim a spot on Formula 1’s 24-race calendar, Argentina’s future bid will face stiff competition and will have to rely on private financing. But with Colapinto’s F1 career currently only set to last until the end of the 2024 season, and there being no guarantees about his long-term future, Scioli’s claims have been dismissed by some observers as a quest for political power.

If Colapinto’s F1 career takes off, for example with Williams loaning him to Sauber in the coming years, the hype around him will likely only increase over time. That’s positive for both Colapinto and Williams as long as all goes well, but there are also concerns if his relationship with his team or his on-track rivals deteriorates.

Earlier this year, Sauber junior and IndyCar driver Theo Pourchaire was subjected to death threats on social media after a clash with Argentinian Agustin Canapino at the Detroit Grand Prix, souring Argentina’s interest in its former touring car ace. and IndyCar’s part-Argentinian-owned Juncos Hollinger Racing team, mirroring similar events in 2023 involving Callum Ilott.

Callum Ilott, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet Agustín Canapino, Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images

Fortunately, the incident only involved a small minority of fans, and given the mature way he handled his unexpected F1 debut, the grounded and well-supported Colapinto seems equipped to deal with whatever his new-found fame throws at him. has to offer.

But while winning a Grand Prix is ​​still a distant dream for Colapinto, at least his proud country has found a reason to smile.