Formula 1: New landing spot already emerging for Franco Colapinto?

As a seasoned gamer who has followed Formula 1 for decades, I can tell you that the name Franco Colapinto was certainly not on my radar just a few races ago. But boy, oh boy, has this young man made an impressive entrance into the world of F1!

Just a few weeks before the Italian Grand Prix, it was extremely rare to encounter someone, not just outside the F1 community, but within it as well, who recognized Franco Colapinto’s name.

During that period, an Argentine racer associated with the Williams Driver Academy was competing in Formula 2, where he’d achieved some degree of accomplishment, yet he remained relatively unnoticed by many spectators.

I can’t help but feel a tad defensive about the move to bench Logan Sargeant and bring in Colapinto, given our team’s recent struggles. As a gamer, you know how tough it is to keep playing when things aren’t going your way. But sometimes, it’s necessary to make a change to turn things around. And that’s exactly what Williams and James Vowles are doing. It’s not an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right one for our team’s success in the long run.

But just two races into his career, everybody knows his name.

In the days leading up to his Formula 1 debut at Monza, Alex Albon was assigned as his teammate. Despite it being unlikely that Williams’ second car would have a successful first weekend, Albon drove smoothly and ended up in a commendable 12th place, only slightly behind his teammate who finished in 10th.

Despite a concerning crash during practice before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku, Colapinto recovered admirably to secure Williams’ first double qualification into Q3 this season. Remarkably, he ended up in eighth place, marking a season-high 10 points for the team on that day.

His performances during races have garnered such recognition that they’ve gained the admiration of three-time world champion Max Verstappen and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. This appreciation came after he competed against both of them, as well as fellow rookie stand-in Oliver Bearman, in the final stages of the race.

With his solid start, Colapinto may have an outside shot at a 2025 race seat.

Regardless of his performance for the remainder of 2024, Colapinto will not drive for Williams in 2025. Alexander Albon has a multi-year contract with the team, while Carlos Sainz Jr., who is leaving Ferrari at the end of the year to accommodate Lewis Hamilton, has secured the second seat.

Although Colapinto may not secure a seat on the grid with his current team for 2025, there are still two empty seats from different teams up for grabs. One of these is at Red Bull alongside Yuki Tsunoda, but it seems Liam Lawson is favored for that position. If something unexpected happens and Lawson doesn’t get the spot, it’s likely Daniel Ricciardo will continue with the team instead.

Only the position at Sauber, a team transforming into Audi in 2026 and currently occupied by Valtteri Bottas, remains unclaimed, as they have already secured Nico Hulkenberg for the other seat.

For what feels like forever, we’ve been having intense debates within our gaming squad about potential new team members. At one point, names like Sainz and Esteban Ocon were on the table, but they ended up signing with other teams. As it stands now, Bottas, my current teammate Zhou Guanyu, and a promising Formula 2 driver named Gabriel Bortoleto are in the running, with Bortoleto being the one most tipped to join us.

Now Colapinto has emerged as the latest contender for Sauber’s 2025 vacancy.

As I stepped out of the whirlwind of Baku, I could feel the buzz in the air – it seemed like everyone was talking about my eighth-place finish. It’s humbling to know that people are noticing me, especially as a relatively new player on the scene.

There also appears to be a fair amount of foundation to these rumors.

I want to give Colapinto a seat for 2025 and ideally in Formula 1. Realistically, there is only one team left, we will see what we can manage there. In two races, Colapinto has shown the world that he deserves a seat in Formula 1. We will see what the possibilities are at Audi (Sauber) and if we can find a way we can work together.
James Vowles

Indeed, these advancements are just beginning, and it’s quite possible that they may not materialize for some time.

In essence, Vowles is a team principal aiming to support one of his academy drivers, ensuring he remains sharp and prepared for a potential Williams driving role should Albon or Sainz depart. Under such circumstances, wouldn’t it be fair to say that Vowles is simply taking advantage of an opportunity that could have salvaged the team’s season with a skilled driver?

For Colapinto’s own sake, staying in Formula 1 and getting this Sauber seat must be a priority, even if they are the undisputed slowest and least desirable destination currently on the grid.

As a rising racer, stepping back from the main game now, after such an impressive start in merely two races, would likely hinder my journey towards becoming a future racing icon. A temporary bench seat or returning to lower leagues could limit my growth and potential.

2024-09-18 13:32

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