F1
Colapinto in the spotlight: Audi stalls, Williams presses
© Antonin Vincent / DPPI
At the wheel of his Williams, Franco Colapinto certainly failed to score points in Singapore, but he nonetheless impressed Mattia Binotto, the new boss of the Sauber/Audi program. He still seems undecided about the choice of the second Sauber driver in 2025. If Valtteri Bottas holding the rope, Williams management is nonetheless in contact with the firm with the Rings to try to find a seat for its protégé, who will leave his place to Carlos Sainz this winter. "I have no idea what will happen in 2025, explains the Buenos Aires native. I'm enjoying every second of it, because I have no idea how long it's going to last."
Since its grand debut in Formula 1, at the Italian Grand Prix in early September, the Argentinian never ceases to surprise. The rookie scored his first points in his second Grand Prix, in Baku, and he held his own against Alexander albon – who had never known such rivalry at Williams with Nicholas latifi or Logan Sargent – on the last two meetings, on circuits that were unknown to him… and without the developments offered to the Thai at Marina Bay.
A three-way match for the Sauber/Audi seat
In the space of three Grands Prix, on circuits with varied profiles, Franco Colapinto has shown an impressive ability to adapt… to the point that some wonder why Williams did not place him earlier in one of its single-seaters. The British team is struggling to try to find him a seat from 2025, and at the moment, the only place available (outside the Williams Red Bull) remains that of Sauber/Audi.
"I want to find him a seat for 2025 and ideally in F1, explains James Vowles, the boss of Williams. There is only one team left with an opening, we will see what the possibilities are at Audi and if we can find a way to work together. In three races, Colapinto has shown the world that he deserves his place." Let's hope for a quick response for Valtteri Bottas, still the favourite, and the outsiders Franco Colapinto and Gabriel Bortoleto, respectively supported by Williams and McLaren. As for Guanyu-Zhou, he has already understood that his destiny lies elsewhere and is looking for a 3rd driver's seat to keep one foot in F1.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
24/09/2024 at 05:00 a.m.
The performance of Colapinto, who was not a superstar in the lower formulas, can / should also call into question the real level of Albon, who has only been confronted at Williams with third-rate paying drivers like Latifi and Sargeant. Let's hope that Audi, who do not seem to really trigger a wow effect for his arrival in F1, will bet on youth rather than keep the Australian-Finnish cycling mule who seems to have had his time in F1 despite his experience in Top Team and multiple GP winner at Mercedes!