Since his Monza debut just four races ago, Franco Colapinto has taken to F1 like a duck to water, scoring points and proving a match for experienced teammate Alex Albon along the way. The Argentinian is without a drive for 2025, but could the door be open to the Red Bull stable?
The 21 year old has the talent and ability to be an F1 success, but why should Red Bull take a punt on Colapinto?
📸 Is this Ayrton Senna doppelgänger the next big star?
He’s fast!
This is the no brainer part of the answer. He’s incredibly quick and consistent. When Colapinto stepped into the Williams, they had four points. They now have 17. Granted not all are him, but the five he’s added over four races with the team is not to be scoffed at, especially seeing as his predecessor in the car - Logan Sargeant - had contributed no points.
📸 Logan Sargeant could only muster one point for Williams in 36 starts, while Colapinto has scored five in just four races so far.
It seems as though Alex Albon, who had previously dominated in qualifying and races over Sargeant, has a challenger on the opposite side of the garage - perhaps one who may even outscore him by the end of the season?
Colapinto is now 18th of 23 drivers, ahead of full timers Esteban Ocon(Alpine), Zhou Guanyu & Valtteri Bottas(both Kick Sauber), as well as newcomer Liam Lawson(VCARB) who himself has already leapfrogged himself up to 20th.
He won’t be racing for Williams
The confirmation of Alex Albon and the signing of Carlos Sainz means Colapinto won’t be with Williams - at least in a full time race seat - next year.
📸 Williams have added a Grand Prix winner to their ranks for 2025 and beyond.
James Vowles has done an excellent job with Williams since he joined the team, but even he wouldn’t have expected Colapinto to be as good as he’s been. If he’d changed drivers sooner, would Sainz have gone to Williams at all?
There may be an opening for him
The future of Sergio Perez seems to be uncertain since he signed a new contract earlier this season, as his form has been much less than what is expected of a driver who’s teammate is leading the world championship.
📸 Perez is under pressure to perform to Red Bull’s high standards.
Step forward, Liam Lawson. Lawson replaced Ricciardo with the clear intention of attempting to make the move to the top team.
Colapinto’s graduation was unprecedented, as was the form he’s shown and he’s now without a seat for 2025.
There are links to the vacant seat at Audi, but he could potentially be vying with Formula 2 championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto and incumbent Valtteri Bottas for a seat next to Nico Hulkenberg.
📸 Gabriel Bortoleto leads the F2 standings, a year on from his F3 triumph.
Red Bull could offer him two options, a seat next to Yuki Tsunoda at VCARB if Lawson steps into the top team, or…could he be ready to go straight into the Red Bull car in lieu of Lawson.
Marketing
Red Bull are already a huge, internationally known brand but there’s no such thing as too much publicity right?
Argentina treats it’s top sportspeople as god like or messiah’s and Franco Colapinto could be one in line for such treatment, especially if he’s given a pedestal to perform for a team as big as Red Bull.
📸 Argentinians love their successful sportspeople, could Colapinto be the F1 equivalent to Lionel Messi?
For the Red Bull team, having a driver with the popularity such as Colapinto seems like a smart move, given the success of Max Verstappen brought F1 to a point where they series brought back Zandvoort due to Verstappen’s own popularity…a Grand Prix return to Buenos Aires anyone? You certainly don’t have to convince me it’s a good idea.
📸 F1 hasn’t featured Argentina on the calendar since 1998 - could the popularity of Franco Colapinto lead the series back to Buenos Aires?
📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, Sky Sports, CNN, Williams Racing, McLaren Racing.
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