A young Argentine fan was moved to tears after meeting Franco Colapinto in Miami. Following his second points finish in Formula 1 with Alpine—thanks to a seventh-place result at the Miami GP on Sunday—Colapinto made the day of 11-year-old Ian. The boy managed to catch the driver’s attention on a street during the race weekend, receiving not only a hug but also autographs and even a cap from his idol.
The video of the encounter was shared on social media by Ian’s father, Rodrigo. The footage shows the child standing on the road with a custom Argentine flag and wearing an Ayrton Senna cap. When Colapinto’s car stopped, the driver approached the fan, who was crying. Ian and his father had traveled from Argentina to the United States, a journey of more than 7,000 kilometers.
“Nice cap. Where did you come from?” Colapinto asked. The Alpine driver autographed Ian’s flag and cap, then joked with the boy about traveling all the way from Argentina just to see him and stopping in the middle of the street. He then got out of the car to hug him and take a photo. Before leaving, Colapinto gave the fan a signed Alpine team cap.
Rodrigo wrote on social media: “My son Ian, 11 years old, unexpectedly fulfilled one of his dreams. Hours of waiting, and life rewarded him with what he was looking for. I am proud, as an Argentine, that he (Colapinto) is an example of perseverance, humility, love, passion, and resilience, and that Ian understood that with him as a witness. Thank you, Franco!”
The past few days have been emotional for Colapinto. Before his seventh-place finish in Miami, the Alpine driver met his own idol, football star Lionel Messi. And on the Sunday before the race, Colapinto drew about half a million people to Buenos Aires, Argentina’s capital. He became the first driver from the country to drive
