Franco Colapinto promoted to F2 with MP Motorsport in place of Daruvala
MP Motorsport has decided to promote its F3 driver to F2 even before the end of the 2023 season. Therefore, he will replace Jehan Daruvala at the last F2 weekend scheduled for the end of November in Abu Dhabi. If it is not confirmed,
The young driver Franco Colapinto is about to make his Formula 2 debut with the MP Motorsport team at the 2023 season finale at Yas Marina next month. This important milestone will allow him to prepare for a full season with the Dutch team next year in F2.
The Argentine will replace the Indian driver, Jehan Daruvala, who has already completed three seasons in Formula 2 without proving himself and is finishing his 4th season, currently in 7th position in the standings.
Williams Racing Academy driver, Colapinto explains that continuing his journey with the same structure, MP Motorsport, will help him adapt to the new challenges that the F2 Championship has in store for him: « I am absolutely thrilled to move up to Formula 2 with MP. MP has already proven that they can win races in this category, and staying with them seems absolutely appropriate. It’s a familiar atmosphere for me, and the fact that we know each other so well will be to our advantage as I start my first season in this category. » explains the Argentine driver, 4th in the F3 this season, with two podiums to his credit.
« I am very eager to take on the challenge of a new series, with a brand new car to develop. I am looking forward to getting behind the wheel in Abu Dhabi, then working with the team to be ready for a long and demanding 2024 season. »
The Argentine driver is already well familiar with MP. After winning the Spanish Formula 4 title in 2019 in his first season in single-seaters, Colapinto teamed up with the Dutch team the following year in Formula Renault Eurocup. With two victories and nine podiums, he finished his first season in third place. Staying with the team for another season, he finished sixth in the European Championship for Regional Formula by Alpine. From there, he moved to Formula 3 with Van Amersfoort Racing, clinching two victories on his way to the ninth place in the driver’s ranking in 2022, before rejoining MP for the 2023 season.
The director of the MP team, Sander Dorsman, added: « It’s great news that we can announce Franco’s promotion in our F2 team so early. This will give us a head start in our preparations for an exciting F2 season in 2024, where we all start from scratch, with the new F2 car offering everyone a new working base. Franco’s promotion helps us maintain stability in this transition, not to mention that he has become a member of the MP family and is an extremely fast and talented driver. »
Drive in F2 from 2023
If Colapinto’s promotion is obviously for the 2024 season, the Argentine driver will also be part of the Abu Dhabi team with the MP team.
F2 teams regularly use the end of the year period, between September and November, to prepare their transfer market and make seat changes. F2 indeed follows F1 weekends and no event is scheduled outside of Europe, from Monza onwards, except Australia and Abu Dhabi.
So there remains one last weekend to close the Formula 2 season. It will take place from November 24 to 26, followed by three days of post-season testing – always in Abu Dhabi from November 29 to December 1.
