Franco Colapinto has turned out to be a sensation for Williams in Formula 1, but his impact is not just limited to that of the team which chose to promote him.
The Argentine driver was a rather unexpected choice from James Vowles when he sought to replace Logan Sargeant following the Dutch Grand Prix earlier this season.
Speculation was already rife at this stage over who exactly would replace the under-performing Sargeant? Mick Schumacher was reportedly interested, as was ex-McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne.
There were loan options on the table as well, with Red Bull investigating the idea of loaning Liam Lawson to Williams, Alpine in a similar position with Jack Doohan and Mercedes in talks surrounding Kimi Antonelli.
But Vowles had different ideas – he wanted to promote from within. Promoting Williams Academy driver Colapinto into the F1 team made a whole lot of sense from that point of view. However, a little more context here is needed.
It’s worth noting that, at the time, Colapinto wasn’t publicly in the frame. No-one outside of Williams really expected the Argentine driver to be the team’s choice when it came to announcement day. Many in the paddock were caught off guard.
Onlookers expected Schumacher or Doohan to secure the seat for the rest of 2024 ahead of Carlos Sainz’s arrival in 2025. The drive was always going to go the way of Sainz next season after he signed a deal with Williams earlier in the year.
This is what makes Colapinto’s seamless step-up at the Italian Grand Prix so sensational! Immediately he appeared more at home on- and off-track than a few of his more experienced F1 counterparts, rarely appearing on-screen due to a misstep into the run-off area, for example.
In the car, he was almost faultless in his driving with nothing in the way of intimidation appearing on the surface as he battled his way to two points-scoring finishes out of the six rounds he has competed in so far.
Outside of the car, he quickly made a positive, friendly name for himself amongst the media and PR personnel – even navigating a bizarre moment on Martin Brundle’s Sky Sports F1 grid walk at the United States Grand Prix. Vowles has repeatedly praised Colapinto’s ability to handle the pressure that comes hand-in-hand with F1.
Williams’ social media following saw one of its most significant increases ever. A huge portion of its audience demographic is now made up of Argentine fans as a result.
It’s clear the management at the Audi F1 Project and Sauber F1 Team took these successes into account too when it opted not to retain Valtteri Bottas at Sauber (Audi from 2026) but instead opt for youth in Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto.
Colapinto was an inspired choice then, not just for Williams, but for the wider Formula 1 story. The introduction of a whole new post-Drive To Survive fanbase in South America – which was very much evident in the grandstands of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix – is a huge win for the championship on a commercial front.
The 21-year-old’s Brazil race did, unfortunately, end with a sizeable impact into the barrier in torrential rain, but in that case the consequence is a whole lot larger than the mistake itself. He is a rookie after all!
Not only has the commercial impact increased ticket sales amongst Argentine fans, but also re-opened the door for talks surrounding an Argentine Grand Prix. F1 last raced in the South American country in 1998 at the Autódromo Oscar y Juan Gálvez and has rarely been mentioned since amongst the list of nations seeking their own Grands Prix.
Colapinto is now in the frame for an F1 seat at Alpine (in place of highly-rated Doohan) and in the Red Bull family, with his Williams seat already secured from next season onwards by Ferrari’s Sainz. Unbelievably, Colapinto is thought to not only be in the running for an RB seat (to be renamed Racing Bulls next season), but also an outside contender to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing.
A drive alongside Max Verstappen next season would undoubtedly be a huge risk for the Milton Keynes-based outfit, and somewhat risky for Colapinto too when looking back at similar rookie Red Bull call-ups for the likes of Pierre Gasly and current teammate Alex Albon.
Nevertheless, even making your way into ‘the frame’ at a top team like Red Bull Racing after only six Grands Prix is unbelievably impressive work. F1 needs Colapinto on the grid next season, and the likelihood of it happening is increasing race-by-race.
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