Franco Colapinto has yet to secure a seat for the upcoming season. In 2025, Williams will bring Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz to Grove, which puts the young Argentine back on the bench. However, Red Bull is reportedly showing interest in Colapinto. If Sergio Pérez is definitively ousted next year, there may be an opportunity for the 21-year-old driver.
In the run-up to the race weekend in Monza, Franco Colapinto was called up to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams. The Argentine Formula 2 driver was not yet well-known to the general public at that time. Since then, Colapinto has managed to score points for Williams twice and is attracting major Latin American sponsors. Back in his home country, he enjoys great popularity and is even referred to as ‘the Argentine Max Verstappen’.
Despite this, Colapinto will have to make way for Carlos Sainz next year, who signed a contract with Williams during the summer break. Team boss James Vowles has been lobbying for several weeks at Sauber, the only team that can still offer Colapinto a contract for 2025. However, as Sergio Pérez’s position becomes increasingly uncertain, Red Bull could also offer the young driver a chance.
‘Determination’
Both Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are eager to inherit Pérez’s seat. The Red Bull team management has repeatedly stated that both drivers have a chance to replace Checo next year. In that case, a spot will automatically open up at Visa RB. According to the Italian branch of Sky Sports, Red Bull has already approached Colapinto to gauge his interest in filling this seat. A place in the main team seems unlikely for now.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitted in the run-up to the race weekend in Mexico that Colapinto has piqued the interest of many teams. “He debuted with an icy determination,” he told the Austrian Kleine Zeitung. “He didn’t care that he, like Liam Lawson, was thrown in at the deep end.” Marko could not confirm whether Red Bull has actually contacted the Argentine. “One thing is clear, in Formula 1 everyone talks to everyone,” he concluded mysteriously.
