A “frustrating” ending: Colapinto takes stock of his first GPs while thinking about his future

One thing is for sure: Franco Colapinto plays his card to the full. And when the result at the lowering of the checkered flag does not please him, the driver Williams don't hesitate to let it be known, and even to pass on messages.

Under the Singapore spotlight, the Argentinian went through all his emotions. Twelfth on the grid after narrowly missing out on Q3, he livened up the start with an excellent take-off that propelled him to 9th place at the exit of turn 3. Alex Albon may have complained on the radio about his garage neighbor's divebomb, Carlos Sainz let him know that he could have been more careful, there is nothing to prevent the maneuver from having been clean and controlled.

« I did my best, he summarized. I saw a gap and I went for it. It worked. In Singapore, the start is very important. It's always nice to come out of Turn 3 with a few cars behind you. »

🔙 A look back at the departure of Franco Colapinto 😳

Starting from 12th position, the Argentinian has gained 3 places! ⚡️#SingaporeGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/OprQ0JCc32

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) September 22, 2024

One lap too many, one place less

Then in the running for a second finish in the points in three races, Franco Colapinto lost everything in the game of pit stops. Williams wanted to take advantage of this to stay on track one lap longer than Sergio Pérez who was following him but ended up getting his feet tangled up. Coming out behind Checo, the Buenos Aires native then admired the rear end of the Mexican's RB20 for more than 30 laps. He would have been capable of drawing it to perfection but the fact remains that he did not manage to find the opening to pick up the last point at stake. Enough to have a little bitterness in the end.

« There is a bit of frustration because I did my best to finish in the Top 10, confessed-he. It was possible and we should have been there. Keeping Sergio Perez behind was possible on a circuit where it is very difficult to overtake. We simply did not defend our position well. It is then difficult to get back into the points especially in Singapore, a track that does not necessarily suit us. We should have defended better and now we have to make sure that this kind of mistake does not happen again because by stopping a lap later we lost a place in the points. But that's how it is. We win and we lose together.

It was a very positive race. It allowed me to continue learning new things, adapting to the car, to F1, its calendar, its speed. It’s a good first in Singapore. It’s just a shame not to have finished in the points but it was difficult. We did our best. Eleventh is still a decent result. »

© Antonin Vincent / DPPI

And now ?

It's time for a first assessment for Franco Colapinto who has completed his first three Grands Prix in his career. A Q3, 4 points, confidence at the wheel, few mistakes... "Pretty good," he defines them. Internally, James Vowles is very satisfied. Publicly, the Williams team principal regularly praises him while he does not hesitate to take the voice on the radio to channel him, like the Singapore GP where his driver apologized for not having been able to attack Sergio Pérez. Franco you had a fantastic race, he slipped. One of the toughest for you and you lived up to it just seconds from the points. We win and lose together. » Proof that the leader is very happy with his first steps.

Now, a month's break awaits the Argentinian. The opportunity for him to have better preparation for the last 6 rounds of the year and especially to prepare for the rest of his career. In F1? That's the main desire of all camps given what he has shown. James Vowles, who no longer has a place for his protégé at Grove, will in any case do everything possible to ensure that he is present on the grid next season. That's what he has publicly implied. In his sights? The last seat still really up for grabs: that of the Sauber/Audi tandem.

« He is a racing driver, and I think he has already shown in a few races that he has his place on the grid., confided the team principal. What we have already said is that we are very open-minded, confided the English leader. We are waiting, in this case, for Audi or Sauber to come to us and say: what do you want, what are you interested in? From there, we can discuss what that really involves. But the first step is rather an open discussion. » It is now up to them to be convincing so that he can continue his happiness. As Franco Colapinto did during his first three appearances in F1.

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