James Vowles praises Colapinto: “Here’s how Franco helped me and Williams”. James Vowles defends Franco Colapinto.

Williams, Franco Colapinto back on the bench
It might not be a farewell but simply a “see you later.” What’s certain is that Williams will begin the 2025 Formula 1 season with a lineup featuring the retained Alex Albon and new signing Carlos Sainz Jr, arriving from Ferrari. This talented and experienced pairing will leave the young Franco Colapinto on the bench. The 21-year-old Argentine was unexpectedly called up from Monza onwards to replace the underperforming Logan Sargeant, delivering a mix of surprising results (two points finishes in Baku and Austin) and a season finale marked by challenges and spectacular crashes. While awaiting his potential return to the track, possibly with Williams, team principal James Vowles publicly praised Colapinto.

James Vowles praises Franco Colapinto
The decision to sideline Franco Colapinto wasn’t influenced by the season’s end. Franco Colapinto himself, who became a sensation in Argentina and even in parts of Europe (though partially tempered by the damage from his recent outings), was aware from the start that his promotion was… temporary. “Having Franco on the team,” commented James Vowles, “was an enormous advantage for Williams and also for me. First of all, his character allowed him to enjoy every moment he spent behind the wheel of an F1 car. His passion left a mark; you could see it in how he expressed himself to the world, in what he said on TV, and in how he spoke over the team radio. He helped us because we are a very united team, and we gave him the F1 opportunity he deserved and still deserves.”

“And then,” added the 45-year-old former Mercedes engineer, “he also pushed Alex, without a doubt. We managed to progress as a team because we found several areas for improvement, different setups, electronic tools, and approaches to the lap. Every driver in the world, every human being in the world, improves when challenged. And in the end, Franco brought that to the team.”

Franco Colapinto will now become the jewel of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, the team’s youth development program: “We have a bright future; our Academy is flourishing in the background. Franco is a brilliant member, but we also have many other young talents, some as young as 10 years old, who are very strong.”