In just 9 races as an interim driver at the end of the 2024 F1 season, Colapinto surprised both fans and experts. He was meant to be a temporary name, a placeholder until Carlos Sainz’s arrival at Williams, but instead became one of the most talked-about and sought-after drivers in the paddock.
With great performances in the early races and a few too many accidents in the later rounds, Colapinto’s 2024 season can still be seen positively: catapulted into F1 after just eleven rounds in F2, the Argentine earned the attention of several teams, including Red Bull and Alpine, which recently hired him as a reserve driver by paying the 20-million-dollar release clause tied to Williams.
Background: 2024 in F2
Before being promoted to F1, Franco Colapinto was a driver for MP Motorsport in F2 during his first full season in the series. He had already debuted in F2 at the final round of the 2023 season, and by 2024, before Williams called him up, he had accumulated 96 points, 1 win, and 2 second-place finishes. Despite missing 4 rounds, the Argentine finished the season in 9th place, ahead of Durksen, Hauger, and Oliver Bearman, who we have come to know in 2024 and will be a Haas driver in 2025.
After 15 disappointing races from Logan Sargeant, Williams decided to look within its own Academy, giving Colapinto a chance, obviously while waiting for Carlos Sainz Jr. to arrive, who had already signed with the Grove team for 2025. Thanks to COVID-19-related exemptions, the Argentine managed to obtain his FIA Superlicense and make his F1 debut at the Italian Grand Prix.
The early surprise and the decline at the end
The Monza race marked Colapinto’s F1 debut but also a venue that has traditionally been favorable to Williams cars, which, despite recent tough and inconsistent seasons, have always performed well in the Lombardy race. Starting from 18th place, the 2003-born driver delivered a fantastic drive: a comeback race, fast, and finished in 12th place, just 14 seconds behind his experienced teammate Alexander Albon, who finished 9th.
Colapinto’s driving skills were also evident in the Baku GP, where he started 8th, ahead of Albon, and finished 8th again, securing his first 4 career points, as well as in Singapore, a tough race where he ended up 11th. The Argentine returned to the points in the next Grand Prix in Austin, finishing 10th and executing overtakes like the one on Fernando Alonso, which fans voted as the “best overtaking move of 2024.”
With a 12th-place finish in Mexico, Colapinto earned 5 points in his first 5 F1 races, attracting the interest of several teams, including Red Bull, which, according to rumors, had discussions with the Argentine for a seat either alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull or replacing Yuki Tsunoda at VCARB. However, from this point on, Colapinto “comes back down to earth.”
In the last 4 races of the season, the Argentine was involved in several incidents and problems that slowed down his initial momentum, leading to retirements in Brazil, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, with only the Las Vegas Grand Prix to finish, where he placed 14th. Despite the season’s final phase, Franco Colapinto finished 19th with 5 points, managing to pressure and outpace his experienced teammate Alexander Albon: the head-to-head on race finishes was 4-4.
Franco Colapinto ready to replace Jack Doohan?
With Carlos Sainz’s arrival, Franco Colapinto knew that in 2025, he would return to being a reserve driver and focus on securing an F1 seat in 2026, given that all the grid spots are occupied. However, it’s recently been reported that Alpine has paid the 20-million-dollar clause tied to Franco Colapinto’s contract with Williams, officially making him a third driver for the French team.
Franco Colapinto’s presence will inevitably put pressure on Jack Doohan, the Alpine main driver who made his debut at the last race of the previous season: the Australian can’t afford mistakes, knowing that the Argentine is ready to take his place at the first misstep.
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