Franco Colapinto reveals ‘dream come true’ flight with Lewis Hamilton

Franco Colapinto has revealed Lewis Hamilton invited him to join him on his private jet for a flight back to London following the F1 Spanish Grand Prix.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton dropped a message in the F1 drivers’ WhatsApp group chat following the Barcelona race offering a free flight back to London for anyone interested.

After responding saying he was going to London, Hamilton told Colapinto to cancel his planned commercial flight to instead join him on his private jet. 

Colapinto described flying with one of his racing idols as “the best flight of my life”.

“Yeah it was nice,” Colapinto told media including Crash.net on Thursday at the Austrian Grand Prix.

“Lewis is a great guy and I had the best flight of my life with him. It was very special and very unique. You all know that he was my idol since I was very young, with Senna as well, and to be able to fly with him and have a bit of a chat.

“He asked if anyone was flying to London and I said I’m going to London but on EasyJet and he came back saying he had a lot of space on his plane and invited me to go. It was quite special. Also flying private for the first time, two very unique experiences and a lot of stories from Lewis. A very special flight.

“He’s a great guy and I was very, very impressed by how he is as a person and how he is as a professional. A lot to admire from the personal part from the sportsman. It was great, a dream come true and didn’t have to fly on my EasyJet flight.”

Colapinto brushes off pressure suggestions

Colapinto went into the Canadian Grand Prix reportedly fighting for his future after a difficult start to life with Alpine.

The Argentine produced his best qualifying performance since replacing Jack Doohan and although he was unable to convert a P10 starting spot into his first points of 2025, Colapinto felt like he made a crucial step forward in Montreal. 

“Canada was definitely a good step,” Colapinto explained. “We've been working hard in the team to try and understand which direction I had to go with the car, which direction was making me more comfortable with the setup.

“I think in general it's just been a good job by everyone in the factory to help me, you know, even when I was struggling to bring me up to speed again. I think generally I've been feeling better, more comfortable and more connected with the car and that's what we are looking forward.

“At the end of the day we are just trying to focus race by race and just trying to go step by step, then we'll see what happens. Here in Austria I think there is a good chance for us as a team to perform and maximise the car and then see where we end up.”

Asked if he is feeling the pressure from the outside world, Colapinto replied: “No, just normal, like every F1 race, that's what we live with, we are used to that and it's just another weekend of those.

“I think having the feeling that I'm starting to feel better with the car is something positive to me, something that makes me feel a little bit more, I wouldn't say relaxed, but more happy in terms of just feeling more connected with the car and understanding better things that I couldn't understand before.”