# Argentine drivers in international motorsport > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/argentine-drivers-in-international-motorsport > Updated: 2026-09-25T15:46:08.000Z. Sources: 645. Developments: 4. Argentine racing drivers have participated in high-profile international motorsport events while facing significant financial hurdles. In early September, drivers Franco Colapinto, Nicolás Varrone, and Mattia Colnaghi gathered in Madrid for a joint event titled ‘Acelerando el Futuro: Performance, Tecnología y Diplomacia Deportiva’. Organized by the Argentine Embassy in Spain, the meeting served to present Argentine talent in Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3 categories ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. Following these appearances, Varrone and Colapinto disclosed the economic difficulties associated with competing in top-tier categories. Varrone noted that his move to Formula 2 required sacrificing more lucrative contracts in endurance racing, stating, “I lost money racing in Formula 2.” Colapinto, who drove for Williams during the latter part of the 2024 season, reported that despite receiving 10,000 euros per race, the costs of traveling with family and management left him “literally losing money to race.” During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, competing for Alpine, Colapinto showed a trend of improvement across practice sessions, reaching Q3 in qualifying. However, his race ended prematurely following a collision during a restart; after locking his brakes, he struck teammate Pierre Gasly, an incident that also involved Lando Norris and resulted in a triple retirement. The FIA determined Colapinto was “total or predominantly responsible” for the incident, noting he braked too late and entered the corner at an uncontrollable speed. This error ended Colapinto’s 26-race streak of finishing races and resulted in a five-place grid penalty for the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix. The crash sparked paddock controversy; Lando Norris suggested drivers responsible for such collisions should face disqualification, stating certain drivers “should not be in Formula 1.” Conversely, drivers such as Max Verstappen and George Russell defended Colapinto, noting that errors can happen to anyone. ## Claims - Max Verstappen complained that his Red Bull car was jumping like a kangaroo during the session. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Max Verstappen set the fastest time in the third free practice session with a lap of 1:43.922. (corroborated by 4 sources) - George Russell finished second in the session, 0.099 seconds behind Verstappen. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Lewis Hamilton completed the top three in the practice session. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Lance Stroll had to retire his Aston Martin after hitting a wall in Turn 1. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Franco Colapinto intends to focus on making a strong start during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Colapinto lost four to five tenths of a second on the straight during Q2 due to a lack of slipstream. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The driver is experiencing issues with heavy braking causing tire lock-ups and overheating. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Colapinto has accumulated 27 points in the championship following recent performances in Italy and Spain. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Kimi Antonelli finished fourth in the final practice session. (single source) - A brief virtual safety car was deployed due to a tree branch on the track. (single source) - McLaren instructed Lando Norris to enter the pits to avoid high speeds during a component change. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-25: George Russell wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku George Russell won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, narrowly beating Max Verstappen. The race saw multiple retirements, including a collision involving Franco Colapinto that triggered a penalty. 535 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/franco-colapinto-to-start-ninth-at-azerbaijan-grand-prix ### 2026-09-22: Franco Colapinto navigates mixed practice sessions at Azerbaijan Grand Prix Franco Colapinto improved from 18th to 11th in Baku's second practice session. He also reflected on the financial costs of his F1 debut and addressed social media hostility involving teammate Pierre Gasly. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/argentine-drivers-reveal-financial-losses-in-formula-1-and-formula-2 ### 2026-09-22: George Russell takes pole position at Azerbaijan Grand Prix George Russell claimed pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, leading Charles Leclerc. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli will start 16th after a qualifying crash. 272 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/franco-colapinto-improves-performance-during-baku-f1-practice-sessions ### 2026-09-08: Argentine drivers unite in Madrid ahead of Formula 1 Grand Prix Argentine drivers Franco Colapinto, Nicolás Varrone, and Mattia Colnaghi will unite in Madrid for a special event ahead of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/argentine-drivers-unite-in-madrid-ahead-of-formula-1-grand-prix --- Cite as: Argentine drivers in international motorsport. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/argentine-drivers-in-international-motorsport