It’s estimated that 600,000 people gathered to watch Franco Colapinto make history as the first Argentinian F1 driver to demonstrate a Formula One car on the streets of Buenos Aires.

The support for their hero was overwhelming, with fans lining the route in their thousands as he took to a BWT Alpine Formula One Team-liveried E20 last Sunday.

The Mercado Libre presents: Franco Colapinto Road Show Buenos Aires 2026! in partnership with the city of Buenos Aires, formed part of a trip to Franco’s home city, before he heads to South Florida for this weekend’s Miami GP.

A full weekend of appearances

Franco kicked off the weekend with a visit to Mercado Libre’s Argentina HQ, where he signed autographs and took part in a Q&A for staff, before making time to visit a traditional Argentinian estancia — a horse ranch famed for its home cooking — where he donned an apron to help prepare an asado barbecue.

Meanwhile, his #43 machine — the E20 from 2012 — was being prepared for its public outing, with the Renault V8-powered car the highlight of a day of celebrations, including fan experiences, music acts and entertainment. Even the street signs were changed to read ‘velocidad máxima para Colapinto el Domingo 26 de Abril’ — translated as ‘maximum speed for Franco on Sunday is 300km/h!’

Lighting up the streets of Buenos Aires

On Sunday — with a police escort — Franco headed to Avenida del Libertador and Avenida Sarmiento, where a 2km course had been set up. Even early in the morning, thousands of passionate fans had already arrived to catch a glimpse of their hero. It’s estimated there are 17 million F1 fans in Argentina, and Franco has been instrumental in reigniting their passion for Formula One.

“This is a really happy moment for me and makes me really proud. You can see how many people there are on the streets, it really is incredible support,” said Franco. “It’s the first time I’ve driven the E20 that Kimi Räikkönen drove, and the high-revving Renault V8 makes an amazing sound!”

As well as demonstrating the E20 and performing a series of spectacular tyre-smoking donuts, Franco was also able to sample a special piece of F1 history as he took to the wheel of Juan Manuel Fangio’s famous streamliner W196 from the 1950s — a wonderful tribute to the five-time world champion and Argentinian legend — especially as Franco wore a period helmet and goggles while driving the historic machine.

Standing proudly with his Argentina flag and meeting so many well-wishers — including an emotional visit from his grandmother — Franco enjoyed a truly special day thanks to an incredible turnout of 600,000 fans. It was a moment that both Franco and the home support in Buenos Aires will never forget.