Colapinto Reveals Belongings Stolen During Lake Como Holiday

Franco Colapinto revealed on social media that his apartment on Italy's Lake Como was broken into during the Formula 1 summer break, with the Argentine losing his suitcases, clothes, and mate kit. The Alpine driver responded with humor, joking that he hoped the thieves would enjoy the stolen items despite probably disliking the traditional South American drink.

Why it matters:

The incident comes at a pivotal moment in Colapinto's season. After a difficult 2025 campaign, the Argentine has shown marked improvement with Alpine's Mercedes-powered package, accumulating 19 points in the first half of 2026. Off-track stability is key as the team works to nurture his talent under advisor Flavio Briatore, making the burglary an unwelcome distraction even as he has shrugged it off publicly.

The details:

• Colapinto was staying at Lake Como during the F1 summer break when his accommodation was broken into.
• The thieves made off with his suitcases, clothing, and his mate kit, a traditional South American drink set particularly popular in his native Argentina.
• He joked on social media that he "never expected Europeans to steal everything from a Latino" and quipped that the robbers likely "won't like the mate."
• The burglary follows a more competitive first half of 2026 for Colapinto, who has accumulated 19 points and is reportedly integrating better within Alpine.
• Team advisor Flavio Briatore recently praised Colapinto's mental and technical progress on the Beyond The Grid podcast, noting that Alpine has worked hard to build his confidence amid the intense pressure of Formula 1.

What's next:

Colapinto will look to put the burglary behind him as the grid reconvenes at Zandvoort later this month for the Dutch Grand Prix, marking the start of the season's second half. With Briatore emphasizing that the team sees "100 per cent" talent in the young Argentine, the focus now shifts to converting that potential into consistent results on track.