Colapinto won national karting championships in his native Argentina in 2016 and 2018, when he also took victory in the Youth Summer Olympics, before moving to Europe to launch his junior single-seater career.
He made an immediate impact on the FIA Spanish Formula 4 Championship, taking a win and a second place on debut – a solitary outing in the final round of the 2018 season – to secure a drive with two-time F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso’s FA Racing team.
By tallying no fewer than 11 race victories, 13 podium finishes and ten pole positions, Colapinto was crowned Spanish F4 Champion, and that success was backed up by a Rookie Championship win in the 2020 Toyota Racing Series (TRS).
The 17-year-old graduated to the Formula Renault Eurocup on his return to Europe but is now readying himself for a switch from open-wheelers to Le Mans Prototypes as part of the Algarve Pro’s assault on the 2021 Asian Le Mans Series.
Franco will share the #25 Oreca 07 LMP2 car with fellow Bullet Athlete Rui Andrade and 2017 ELMS LMP3 Champion John Falb during the course of a unique Asian Le Mans Series season, that will take place in Abu Dhabi, consisting of four four -hour races at the Yas Marina circuit.
“Before I tested in Portimao, my only experience in an LMP2 car was in the Virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans,” said Colapinto. “Coming from F4 and just one season of Formula Renault, it’s a big change. The power, braking and downforce is just so amazing. I think I always step up to new challenges well, because I won F4 in my first year and finished as the highest debutant in Formula Renault. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel, and to do it with Rui (Andrade) is so exciting. I’ve watched Algarve Pro Racing in the real 24 Hours of Le Mans and I know they are an amazing team so I’m sure we’ll have good success in the Asian Le Mans Series.”
The 2021 Asian Le Mans Series Season kicks off on February 5.
