When he arrived on the grid at Monza, with a last-minute call, no one would have bet on Franco Colapinto, little known to most after a good but almost overlooked career in the lower categories. Yet, within a few weeks, he became the most talked-about person in the paddock, thanks to his excellent results and the points he scored. However, in this world, judgments always come too quickly, and the next six races, on circuits less favorable to Williams, will be a good test for his future, to see if the Argentine deserves a full-time seat in the 2025 Formula 1 with Stake Sauber.
Franco Colapinto himself, speaking on the podcast *The Fast and The Curious*, admitted that it will be difficult to secure a full-time role next year and, for this reason, he is focusing solely on the present: “My dream is to stay in Formula 1, that’s what I’m working towards. This is a great opportunity that I’ve taken with both hands. It’s never nice to replace a driver mid-season, but this is the way to show what I can do, and that I deserve a full-time seat. I’m doing well at the moment, everything is going in the right direction, but I see it being difficult to get a spot in 2025. So, I’m not thinking about it too much; I’m fully focused on 2024 and want to finish the season in the best way possible. There will be time in December to decide what I’ll do.” – he pointed out.
In particular, the only available seat for the Argentine is with Stake, still open and contested by two or three current and former drivers. The alternative would be to become the third driver for Williams and wait for one of the two main drivers to leave. And with his usual humor, during a recent appearance on Spanish TV, he didn’t miss the chance to make a sarcastic comment: “Tell your countryman Carlos to find a seat elsewhere. He should leave and not be a pain in the a**.” In truth, the young driver bears no grudges against Carlos Sainz‘s choice, given his great experience, although Franco Colapinto himself was also in talks with James Vowles for that seat.
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