Who is Franco Colapinto, the Williams Academy protégé?
Supported by the Williams Academy, Franco Colapinto will be racing in F2 next year with the MP Motorsport team. But who is this 20-year-old driver, a compatriot of the legendary Fangio and gradually rising through the ranks? Portrait.
Franco Colapinto began his career in karting at the age of nine and won several races. He took part in the Youth Olympic Games in 2018 in Argentina, his home country, alongside Fernando Alonso, Pedro de la Rosa, and Esteban Guerriri.
He begins his career in single-seaters in the Spanish F4 in 2018, at the age of 15, taking part in the last four races of the season. He wins one race and achieves two pole positions. The following year, he competes in the entire season, in 21 races he steps on the top step of the podium 11 times, achieves 14 pole positions, and becomes champion.
In 2020, Colapinto was involved in a dual program consisting of the Toyota Racing Series and the Formula Renault Eurocup. The Argentine driver finished third in both championships. He made his debut in the F3 Europe with the MP Motorsport team in 2021, the same team he competed with in the Formula Renault Eurocup. He finished sixth with six podium finishes, including two victories and four pole positions.
A linear progression
Last year, the Buenos Aires native arrived in F3 FIA, first with Van Amersfoort Racing (VAR), and then with MP Motorsport in 2023. While he achieved two victories each year, as well as five other podium finishes, he went from 76 points and a ninth-place finish in 2022 to 110 points in 2023 and fourth place in the F3 FIA championship.
The person who is part of the Williams Academy will be behind the wheel of an F2 car next season, in the same Dutch team. MP Motorsport had announced the news on their X account (formerly Twitter).
🧡 VAMOS
Franco Colapinto steps up to FIA Formula 2 within the MP family in 2024!
He will start his journey next month in Abu Dhabi, where he will take his seat in car #2 during the final round of the F2 championship. pic.twitter.com/IDoCdRudnB
— MP Motorsport (@OfficialMPteam) October 25, 2023
« Franco Colapinto will join the FIA Formula 2 with the MP team in 2024! He will begin his journey next month in Abu Dhabi, where he will take the seat of car number 2 in the final round of the F2 championship », as stated in the post. He is replacing Indian driver Jehan Daruvala, who has moved to Formula E with Maserati.
