Argentine driver Franco Colapinto has had an F1 drive with historic team Williams Racing since the 20214 Italian Grand Prix. He will drive in the remainder of the 2024 #F1 season, replacing Logan Sargeant.
Entering the F1 Scene
Williams Racing announced that Colapinto would compete from the Italian Grand Prix alongside Alex Albon and wear race number 43 on his car. Well, the driver for Car 43 has not disappointed one bit and has been putting in strong performances against his experienced teammate.
A member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, Colapinto had driven the FW46 only during practice for the British Grand Prix, but he’s adapted quickly, coming from F2, where he won a race this year.
Colapinto joined Carlos Reutemann as the two Argentine racers to drive for Williams in F1 and also became the first Argentinian to score points since Reuteman himself (1982 South African Grand Prix).
Colapinto’s Performance at the 2024 Italian GP
In his first race, Colapinto was consistent and finished the 2024 Italian Grand Prix in 12th place after starting in 18th.
Colapinto’s Performance at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP
In the following race, the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Colapinto impressed everyone at a circuit he had not driven in. He qualified in ninth place, ahead of his teammate Albon and went on to finish the race in eighth place as Williams secured 10 points with Albon in 10th.
When teams are fighting for the final positions of the World Constructors’ Championships, 10 points could mean two spots in the WCC, which is more or less a victory for those squads.
In Singapore, another circuit where he had not driven a car in, Colapinto again put up a strong performance in qualifying, finishing virtually tied with his teammate.
The Journey of Franco Colapinto to F1
The 23-year-old Franco Colapinto ascended through the ranks with solid results. Most recently, he drove in the FIA F3 in 2022 and 2023, and in F2 in the last two years. He won races in both categories and also had big experiences in other motorsport series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, competing in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Before this, Colapinto had been crowned champion in the 2019 Spanish F4 Championship with 11 victories in 21 races. He performed in the Formula Renault Eurocup and Toyota Racing Series in 2020, finishing third in both series.
2021 saw Colapinto with many experiences, but he mostly drove in the Formula Regional European Championship, finishing sixth with a couple of victories for MP Motorsport. He also competed in the Asian Le Mans Series and European Le Mans Series, GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup – Silver and the Intercontinental GT Challenge.
Displaying his talents behind the wheel in several categories paid off, as he joined Van Amersfoort Racing in the 2022 FIA F3 championship and finished ninth with two wins and five podiums. Two wins and five more podiums in 2023 with MP Motorsport saw him finish fourth in F3 before moving up to F2, where he drove in two races in 2023.
In 20 races in the 2024 FIA F2 championship, Colapinto had a win, three Fastest Laps and three podiums.
What Makes Colapinto Stand Out in 2024
His move to Williams F1 Racing and his performances have put him on the map for a full-time seat in the 2025 F1 campaign. Williams’ 2025 lineup has already been set, with Carlos Sainz joining Albon. Sauber/Audi seems like an option for the Argentine racer, who has produced good reactions due to his solid abilities behind the wheel.
The Argentinian has definitely taken advantage of his opportunity in Formula 1 and his career at the pinnacle of motorsport could definitely prolong beyond the current campaign, due to his own merits.
There are always subtle stuff that you can notice from drivers that could lead them to success. In Colapinto’s case, it seems that his calmness and ability to quickly recognize where he can and should improve are strengths that have put him in the F1 world.
Colapinto isn’t shy and doesn’t avoid criticizing his performances if he truly feels he left something on the table. Although there is still a long way to go, those are traits of an F1 star.
Before becoming the first Argentine driver to score points in F1 in 42 years, Colapinto had crashed in practice for the race in Baku. He showed perseverance and confidence throughout the weekend after the crash and possibly even benefitted from it to put up his strongest performance yet.
Where to Buy Franco Colapinto Replica Helmets
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