Piquet states that Colapinto is "not meeting the standards" mentally.

      "You can only succeed if you have confidence."

      The question of whether Franco Colapinto can make it in Formula 1 remains unanswered. This opinion comes from former F1 driver Nelson Piquet Jr., whose own attempt at a career in F1 ended dramatically during the notorious 'crashgate' scandal. Flavio Briatore, a central figure in that controversy, is now placing considerable pressure on the 21-year-old Argentine rookie Colapinto, who is evidently struggling to find his rhythm at Alpine.

      "They were challenging," Colapinto reflected in Canada, reminiscing about his initial three races in the seat previously held by Jack Doohan. "They weren't exactly what I had anticipated. However, I've had a good break, and I hope it brings some performance improvement."

      Piquet, now 39, acknowledges that Colapinto is a "fast driver," but he expresses concern that the surrounding hype and expectations might be overwhelming for him. "The truly exceptional drivers, like (Lewis) Hamilton, (Fernando) Alonso, and (Max) Verstappen, distinguish themselves not just through their extraordinary talent; the most significant difference lies in their mental fortitude," he shared on the Pelas Piastas podcast.

      "When I consider the 2024 season, I believe Daniel Ricciardo hasn’t lost any of his talent, but he has lost his mental edge. I see Colapinto in a similar predicament now. There seems to be something off with his mindset. We’re dealing with a fast driver, as he has demonstrated multiple times in 2024, but mentally, he doesn’t appear to be at his best, and in this sport, success is only possible if you have confidence and a focused mindset."

      Interestingly, another highly promising rookie who has faced recent setbacks is Kimi Antonelli, the 18-year-old protégé of Toto Wolff at Mercedes.

      "I didn’t perform well," the young Italian admitted in Montreal when discussing the recent series of three races. "We also encountered a few technical problems. Overall, there's a significant learning curve, particularly in managing busier weekends. I definitely didn’t handle everything in the best way. It’s been quite challenging—not the outcome I had hoped for. George (Russell) is having an excellent season, but he can't handle everything on his own. I need to be able to support the team in reclaiming second place."

      However, Mercedes technical director James Allison is confident that Antonelli will bounce back from the recent disappointments. "Kimi will overcome the setbacks of the last few races with his youthful optimism," he commented. "The two retirements were tough for him to take. But if you consider the situation from Kimi’s own viewpoint, he understands that he has more to accomplish."