BUENOS AIRES, Sept 14 (Xinhua) — Argentine driver Franco Colapinto, with the Williams team, achieved a historic qualifying position today, taking ninth place in the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
In this way, the South American country once again has a representative among the top 10 on the grid of the highest category of world motorsport since 1982.
At that time, it was achieved by Carlos Alberto Reutemann, when he started from sixth place in the Brazilian Grand Prix, also with Williams.
This Saturday, in his second outing, Colapinto set the ninth best time in qualifying, one spot ahead of his teammate, Thai driver Alex Albon.
The 21-year-old Argentine made his Formula 1 debut two weeks ago, when he qualified in 18th place and finished the race in 12th position at the Italian Grand Prix, on the iconic Monza circuit.
This Sunday, the athlete will start on the same row as Albon, while the front row will feature Monegasque Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Australian Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
Following them will be Spaniard Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Mexican Sergio Pérez (Red Bull), Briton George Russell (Mercedes), Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull), Briton Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes), and Spaniard Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin).
Argentine media highlighted that “Colapinto made a historic qualifying and will start ninth in Baku,” the capital of Azerbaijan, on a challenging street circuit.
The local newspaper “Clarín” published “an unforgettable qualifying” and “La Nación” summarized that the performance of the driver from Pilar, north of Greater Buenos Aires, was “historic.”
Before Colapinto, the last Argentine to race in Formula 1 was Gastón Mazzacane, on April 15, 2001, with the French Prost team, of multiple champion Alain Prost.