Before returning to lead the Argentine National Team after the world championship runner-up, Lionel Scaloni made a public appearance in a setting away from football. This Sunday, ahead of the start of the Italian Grand Prix, the coach of the Albiceleste appeared in the paddock of Monza with his family and took the opportunity to talk about Franco Colapinto.
The Argentine coach's presence at the historic Italian circuit had a special reason. One of his sons is a fan of the category and was the one who encouraged the visit. "I come more for him than for myself, because he is passionate about Formula 1 and the truth is that this circuit is worth visiting", Scaloni told ESPN.
The coach also took advantage of his stay to refer to one of his other passions, cycling, and drew a parallel with Formula 1. "Most people cycle, I was in Mallorca the other day with Carlos Sainz, who also rides bikes. It's a beautiful sport, quite a bit riskier but similar", he commented.
On the other hand, the visit to Monza also meant for Scaloni a break after weeks of enormous demand. The Argentine team finished as the runner-up in the 2026 World Cup and now the coach begins to refocus on what’s next, with a new FIFA date on the horizon. "The truth is that we’ve had that stressful month and a half and now we’re enjoying. Another FIFA date is coming up, but well, when we can, we come closer to see this world that I have always been passionate about", he explained.
Beyond the sporting spectacle, Scaloni was surprised by the technological evolution of the top category. During his tour of the Mercedes box, he was able to observe the single-seaters up close and highlighted how much the discipline has changed compared to the time he started following it. "We went to see the cars up close, the truth is that it’s an incredible thing. I found it spectacular how much this Formula 1 has changed since I was younger", he pointed out.
However, much of his attention was focused on Alpine and, especially, on Colapinto. The Argentine starts the race from seventh place, while his teammate Pierre Gasly starts from the first position. In that scenario, Scaloni expressed his hopes for the performance of the driver from Pilar. "Waiting to see what happens with the Alpines that are up front, with Franco starting seventh, with his teammate first. The truth is that it’s incredible. Let’s hope it goes well", he stated.
Finally, he reinforced his support for the Argentine and wished him a good result at one of the most emblematic circuits on the calendar. "I hope so, because he deserves it and it’s a circuit, I imagine for the racing driver, it must be the most beautiful to achieve a good result, so I hope", he concluded.
