-
Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
SAO PAULO — Franco Colapinto is hopeful Williams will let him out of his contract at the end of the season if an opportunity emerges to race for Red Bull’s junior team, RB, next year.
Colapinto has impressed in his short Formula 1 career so far, with five points in five races since Williams drafted him in from Formula 2 to replace Logan Sargeant at the Italian Grand Prix.
Despite his strong performances, Williams are unable to offer him a drive in 2025 after extending Alex Albon’s contract for two more years and convincing Carlos Sainz to join from Ferrari.
Colapinto’s results have not gone unnoticed in the F1 paddock however, with Red Bull, who have yet to confirm who will partner Yuki Tsunoda at its junior team, RB, in 2025, reaching out to the Argentine over his availability.
“Colapinto is an interesting driver,” Red Bull team principal Christian Horner told Auto Motor und Sport in Mexico.
“He is surprisingly much better for everyone than it was indicated in Formula 2.
“I would be a bad team boss if I didn’t sound out whether he is available.”
With Sergio Perez’s future at Red Bull under threat after Horner described the Mexican’s 2024 season as “terrible” last weekend, Colapinto could help fill out Red Bull’s driver roster across its two teams.
Liam Lawson replaced Daniel Ricciardo at RB at the U.S. Grand Prix and is in contention to be promoted into Perez’s drive at Red Bull if the Mexican is let go at the end of the year.
That would provide a seat at RB, which could be filled by Colapinto but would also be an obvious opening for Red Bull junior driver Isack Hadjar, who is currently second in F2 with two rounds remaining.
The big question remaining over Colapinto is whether Williams would be willing to release him from his contract, and if not whether Red Bull would be willing to accept a loan agreement.
“I think if Williams cannot give me a race seat, I think the normal thing is that they allow me to go somewhere else and that they find the best opportunity for me for the future,” Colapinto said ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix. “But I’m not the right person to be asked.
“I should be the last one, you know. I’m here with Williams this weekend and I’m going to try to do my best here in Brazil.
“So, look, I think for the future … it will be great if it [an F1 opportunity] happens.
“I thought I was not going to be racing in F1 next year, and that’s still my first view, so I don’t really get too excited about whatever they’re talking around.
“But yeah, let’s see.” When three-time champion Max Verstappen was asked about the prospect of Colapinto joining the Red Bull fold, he said he would welcome the Argentine if he can find a way out of his Williams contract.
“It’s complicated to answer that because he’s still contracted to Williams,” Verstappen said. “And of course, he’s doing a great job.
“I think also Williams is probably scratching their heads a bit about what to do with Franco. But for me personally, it just shows that I think teams in general just need to be more open to put young talents in and trust them.
“Because now you have this kind of situation where he’s a Williams junior and potentially has to leave or try to find luck elsewhere, right? While they could have put him in the car.
“So, yeah, it’s complicated. I mean, whatever he decides or his management decides to do, I mean, does he deserve a spot on the grid? I think with what he has shown so far, yes.
“But, yeah, it’s not easy to find a spot at the moment.”
Asked where he would like to race next year, Colapinto said: “I would like to be in Formula 1.
“I came very late in the year, and I got an amazing opportunity by Williams, by James [Vowles, team principal].
“I got an amazing chance that I was not expecting to get this year. And I tried to do my best and have the best results possible to show that I deserve to sit here.
“That’s what I’m trying to show and to achieve. And if it’s not next year, I hope that it’s in ’26 or ’27. And yeah, I’m not really having much pressure or anything like that.
“I’m trying to enjoy the moment, enjoy the opportunity that I’ve got. It was my dream since I was very little to drive a Formula 1 car. And now to be here doing these last nine races, it’s very special. So just enjoying it.”
Source: www.espn.com