Alex Albon Reveals Franco Colapinto's Influence In Daniel Ricciardo Decision

Saajan Jogia | 2 Hours Ago

Franco Colapinto - Williams Racing / Williams Racing Press Image

Williams driver Alex Albon, who raced for Red Bull between 2019 and 2020, believes part of the Austrian team's recent strategy has been to focus more on its young talent pool instead of bringing back older drivers such as Daniel Ricciardo. Albon suggested that Red Bull's recent signing of Liam Lawson might have been inspired by Franco Colapinto and other rookie drivers who made their mark this season.

Rookies in Formula 1 rarely get the chance to make a significant impact, but F2 drivers Oliver Bearman and Colapinto have shown this season that taking a risk on young talent can pay off, especially when their practice sessions and simulator performances demonstrate real potential.

Bearman’s breakthrough in Formula 1 came when Carlos Sainz underwent surgery for appendicitis ahead of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Stepping in under pressure, the British rookie exceeded expectations, delivering a stellar performance that saw him finish 7th and earn 6 points on his debut. His remarkable drive didn’t go unnoticed, ultimately earning him a seat with Ferrari’s customer team, Haas, for the 2025 season.

The same holds true for Colapinto, who stepped in to replace the dismissed Logan Sargeant at the Italian Grand Prix for the remainder of the 2024 season, ahead of Sainz taking over the seat in 2025. In just three races, the Argentine driver has accumulated 4 points, already surpassing Sargeant’s total points from his nearly two-year tenure with Williams.

Albon believes the impressive show by rookie drivers might have pushed Red Bull to replace Ricciardo with Lawson at VCARB (RB), who also showcased his impressive racing prowess last season during his 5-race F1 stint while performing reserve driver duties for the Australian driver.

Red Bull's contract with Lawson expired before the end of September, but Ricciardo still had a chance to sway the decision with strong results. However, underwhelming performances at Monza and Baku seemed to cement his fate, leaving the Singapore Grand Prix as his last opportunity to rescue his Formula 1 career. Speaking to Motorsport Brazil on what he believes to be Red Bull's renewed strategy to prefer young talent, Albon said:

"He’s [Ricciardo] a super person, a great ambassador for F1 as well. The decision itself I can’t really speak about, I imagine in some ways the fact that Ollie and Franco have done so well, it motivates Red Bull to start rethinking about the youth."

In 2025, the Formula 1 grid will see the addition of three rookies. Andrea Kimi Antonelli will take over Lewis Hamilton's seat at Mercedes alongside George Russell, Jack Doohan will step into a full-time role at Alpine, replacing Esteban Ocon alongside Pierre Gasly, and Bearman will drive alongside Esteban Ocon at Haas.