The next Grand Prix will be decisive for Franco Colapinto’s F1 career

Williams does not regret its choice after the Italian Grand Prix. Following another accident, this time at Zandvoort, American driver Logan Sargeant was released by the Grove team. While many names were mentioned for the seat, such as Liam Lawson or Mick Schumacher due to their experience in the discipline, Williams chose to trust in youth and its academy by selecting Franco Colapinto, a Formula 2 driver with MP Motorsport. This choice was met with a lot of criticism, especially since the British team needed to find a driver capable of supporting Alexander Albon and achieving immediate results to catch up with Alpine in the constructors’ standings. Nevertheless, in his first race, the Argentine driver dispelled many doubts.

An interesting performance in Monza

Arriving in Monza, the excitement was palpable for Colapinto, but also a form of pressure, he who was experiencing his first full weekend in Formula 1 after having driven during the first free practice session at Silverstone. Especially since the track had undergone a deep resurfacing, making it even more difficult to learn the circuit and catching multiple drivers off guard, as with Kimi Antonelli, future Mercedes driver. On Saturday, in qualifying, the Argentine driver also made a mistake, preventing him from getting out of Q1. Nevertheless, in the race, he proved to have pace by achieving a promising twelfth position, fifteen seconds behind his teammate Albon. A result that holds promise, even though the coming weeks may be tough for him with increasing pressure.

Even though he explained that Colapinto does not need to prove his talent to Williams, James Vowles, the team principal, expects the Argentine to string together this kind of performance every weekend to help the team this year and potentially build his future in Formula 1, especially in 2026 with the new regulations. “As I said, depending on his performances, the future is to some extent in his hands,” explained the former Mercedes engineer. “What I mean by that is if he delivers exceptional performances, it is clear that he will stay here as a reserve driver, and we will invest in him in terms of TPC tests and other elements that we are able to do with him. It is possible that other teams will be interested in him, depending on his performances. So, he has a future in that regard.”

Colapinto facing tougher upcoming races.

The Briton still admitted that the upcoming rounds of the season are going to be difficult for this former Formula 2 driver, who will be driving on very technical tracks where he has never raced before. A real test for him, Vowles nevertheless believes that he is capable of rising to this challenge thanks to the experience gained in the simulator. “I would say there are all the reasons to be encouraged by the way he will perform in Baku, Singapore, and on all the remaining tracks,” Vowles told Autosport. “One of his great strengths is translating the theoretical world into the real world.”

« I think he will do very well, based on what I have seen. But it’s not just Baku. I think Singapore is harder than Baku. In Singapore, there are very few moments of rest between corners and much more overheating. Anyway, I think every track will be a challenge in the future, but I knew that before signing. It’s part of the package. I think you will see him progress from where he is today. » The boss of the team based in Grove hopes that these very twisty circuits, punishing mistakes heavily, will serve him well for the American tour, where Williams intends to bring some innovations. In this context, the team will expect both drivers to score some points before the end of the season.

Requirements at Williams before the end of the season

« We need to improve the car at an appropriate pace, and there are more updates to come that will help us get closer to the points zone. When the package is on the car, its chances will concern all the remaining races. We can see that there is a path to follow, where at Zandvoort with maximum support and at Monza with no support, we are in the top 10. So, we have many reasons to be optimistic until the end of the year. » Williams therefore hopes to be able to rely on both its drivers until the end of the year, a requirement that adds a form of pressure around Colapinto, who is aware of the need to perform well and help the team to the maximum, making the upcoming Grand Prix of the Argentinian driver very exciting, starting with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix this weekend.