The baby boom has taken hold in the Formula 1 World Championship, where youngsters are determined to retire these sacred cows that are slowly being pushed aside, some more resigned than others. The latest to arrive is Franco Colapinto, a kid who was born in Pilar (Buenos Aires) 21 years ago and who in just two Grand Prix has revolutionised the entire paddock with his self-confidence and naturalness, whether with a steering wheel in his hands or in front of a microphone. The boy, winner of the national karting championship in his country in 2016, made the jump to single-seaters in 2018 to become champion of the Spanish F4 in 2019 at the age of 16, by winning eight races and celebrating the title with a lead of 102 points. This year he was competing in Formula 2, with the MP team, until he received the call from Williams, who had been betting on him – in 2023 they recruited him for their young driver programme – and who have now given him the opportunity of a lifetime. This strategic move would give preference to the British team with a view to next season, if it were not for the fact that they have already confirmed Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz as their starting pairing.
Williams took a gamble by choosing Colapinto to replace Logan Sargeant, although the risk was controlled considering that the rookie was unlikely to cause more damage than the American. However, no one could have predicted an emergence like that of the South American, who has another seven Grand Prix to finish off the mess.
At Monza, in his first experience with real fire, he not only fulfilled what was asked of him – to gain experience and return the car in one piece – but he also demonstrated an unusual pace for a newcomer – he finished 12th, less than 14 seconds behind Albon. With that experience in his pocket, Colapinto broke the record at the next stop on the calendar, last Sunday, in Baku, where he beat his neighbour in the timed session – he started eighth and Albon ninth – to cross the finish line in the same position as he started. That eighth place made him the first Argentine to finish in the top 10 since Carlos Reutemann in 1982. Not even the accident he suffered on Friday on a circuit full of traps like the one in Azerbaijan made him lose confidence or focus, a circumstance that did not go unnoticed by anyone.
The agreement between Colapinto and Williams expires at the end of 2024 in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of December. The lack of a driver in the blue cars’ line-up has triggered a search for those who still have a vacancy for 2025. With Red Bull’s overpopulation of candidates to get into the only car that still doesn’t have an owner – Daniel Ricciardo’s – the most logical destination for one of the sensations of last weekend seems to be Sauber, at least next year, before Audi’s entry on the scene, scheduled for 2026.
“In two races, Franco has shown the world that he deserves a seat in F1,” said James Vowles, director of Williams, in an interview with ‘Autosport’. “I have always firmly believed that good drivers should be allowed to race. So we will see if we can find a way to work with Audi in those circumstances,” added the British engineer, the most recognizable head of this process of revitalization of the historic team. “The truth is that I have no idea (of what will happen in the future). I am not focused on 2025, but on the incredible opportunity that James and the team have given me. We are working very well together, taking steps forward,” said Colapinto, who is already in Singapore, where this weekend he will pass an exam just as tough as the one a week ago, on a track that is also surrounded by walls. “Obviously it would be a dream to continue in F1, but at the moment I am focused on making the most of this moment,” concluded the current sensation in the championship, someone who is not only fast, but also has charisma and physique, an almost perfect product for the competition.
