F1 Today | Colapinto hit by theft at Lake Como as Verstappen’s impact in the Netherlands praised

Franco Colapinto revealed that he was the victim of a burglary while spending part of the Formula 1 summer break on Lake Como. The Argentine explained on social media that a number of his belongings were stolen from the apartment where he was staying, although he chose to make light of the unpleasant experience in a series of posts.

With Formula 1 currently on its summer break, Colapinto travelled to Italy for some time off before racing resumes at Zandvoort on 21 August. The Alpine driver picked Lake Como, one of the country’s most renowned tourist destinations, but his holiday was disrupted when thieves broke into his accommodation and took several of his personal possessions.

Rather than reacting angrily, Colapinto joked about the situation on social media, expressing his surprise at seeing a Latino being robbed by Europeans and suggesting that the thieves were unlikely to enjoy his mate. He later revealed more about what was taken, listing his suitcases, clothes and mate kit among the missing items and jokingly wishing whoever stole them would enjoy everything.

Max Verstappen’s rise has played a major part in transforming Formula 1’s status in the Netherlands, according to his manager Raymond Vermeulen. The four-time world champion’s success has generated a level of enthusiasm around the sport that had been missing in the country for years, with Dutch fans embracing Verstappen’s achievements in a similar way to other major national sporting successes.

Speaking to Formula 1 Magazine, Vermeulen reflected on how different the situation was before Verstappen emerged. Following the period in which Jos Verstappen represented the Netherlands in Formula 1, the country went through a lengthy spell without comparable success at the highest level. Max’s arrival changed that picture dramatically, with a young Dutch driver suddenly challenging Formula 1’s established stars and eventually becoming one of the dominant figures in the sport.

Vermeulen also linked Verstappen’s influence to the return of the Dutch Grand Prix in 2021, when Zandvoort hosted Formula 1 for the first time in 36 years. He believes the prospect of the race returning would once have appeared unrealistic, while Verstappen’s popularity and subsequent victories at the circuit helped give the event and the economic activity surrounding it a major boost. In Vermeulen’s view, Verstappen has been the central figure behind that change.