“We’ll all test positive for dope testing”: Franco Colapinto on the smell of marijuana in the F1 paddock at Las Vegas

Argentine racer Franco Colapinto was one of the Formula 1 drivers who complained about the smell of Marijuana in the Las Vegas paddock. The 21-year-old Williams driver joked about the same during a recent media interaction.

After spending multiple years in junior Formula divisions, Colapinto was promoted to Formula 1 mid-season to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams F1. The Buenos Aires-born rookie debuted on the F1 grid during the Italian Grand Prix weekend at Monza.

Despite having been in the sport for just six races, the youngster has already scored five points. In comparison, his more experienced teammate Alex Albon has managed to score just 12 points in 21 races so far.

Ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Colapinto spoke about a peculiar smell, similar to that of Marijuana, being present in the entire paddock during a media interaction.

"Yes, there was a smell of weed. If they dope the drivers now, I think we'll all test positive, I swear, idiot. When we all test positive, there will be a mess," he said in a joking tone.

His statement was shared on X by a Charles Leclerc fan page. Here's a look at the post:

As for the ongoing Grand Prix weekend in Sin City, Colapinto has managed to finish 17th and 18th fastest in FP1 and FP2, respectively (Free Practice sessions).

With Carlos Sainz set to join Williams next year, rumors of Colapinto joining the Red Bull camp for the 2025 season are circulating in the F1 community. If true, he will either replace Liam Lawson in VCARB or Sergio Perez in Red Bull Racing.

---

"It is very special, a dream come true" - Franco Colapinto on scoring his first-ever Formula 1 points during Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Despite the Azerbaijan Grand Prix being just his second Formula 1 race, Franco Colapinto finished eighth on the grid, scoring his first-ever career F1 points. The 21-year-old Argentine racer shared his delight by calling it 'a dream come true' moment during the mandatory post-race press interview.

"It feels fantastic to be honest. I am very happy, very proud of the team. What we have achieved together is incredible and I am delighted for the job and the work we have been doing. A lot of effort goes into these points and we already climbed one position in the constructors’ championship and it’s only my second race together and we scored a lot of points together with Alex so it’s just an amazing result for the team," Colapinto said.

"It is very special, a dream come true. It is a long season still and we have many races left together but it is a great start. Very motivating for the next race," he added.

As of now, Colapinto is placed 19th in the driver's table with five points to his credit, just seven behind his teammate Alex Albon who is 16th in the championship.