F1 News: Red Bull Chief Confirms Fate Of Franco Colapinto As Sergio Perez Future Under Threat

Saajan Jogia | 18 Hours Ago

Oct 18, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Williams Racing driver Franco Colapinto (43) of Team Argentina walks through the track entrance before practice for the 2024 US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Christian Horner has confirmed that Red Bull and its junior team VCARB will not consider Williams interim driver Franco Colapinto for the 2025 season, citing the abundance of talent already available within Red Bull’s junior program.

Colapinto made his debut at the Italian Grand Prix after Williams decided to part ways with Logan Sargeant due to underperformance. While he is to race full-time until the Abu Dhabi season finale, the first four races of his Formula 1 debut saw him score 5 points. As a result, several teams in the paddock showed interest in securing his services in the future, especially since he will be without a full-time seat in 2025. Red Bull and Alpine were known parties that were interested in signing him for 2025.

The situation at Red Bull remains uncertain due to Sergio Perez's lackluster performances that point to his ousting after the Abu Dhabi GP. If the rumor materializes, it remains unclear who Red Bull will replace him with. VCARB drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are under evaluation for a potential promotion to the Milton Keynes outfit, but it is difficult to predict who will make it to the seat alongside Max Verstappen.

Although Colapinto was previously considered as an option by Horner, the Red Bull team principal has now confirmed that this is no longer the case. The 21-year-old's recent crashes in Brazil and Las Vegas may have contributed to his exclusion from Red Bull's shortlist. Speaking after the Qatar Grand Prix, Horner said:

"He [Franco Colapinto], for sure, is a talent that's looking to earn his permanent place in Formula 1.

"We have a great pool of talent within the Red Bull junior team.

"I'm sure Franco will find his way onto the grid in the future."

One option that Red Bull could be seriously considering instead of Colapinto is F2 driver Isack Hadjar, who is in a tight championship battle with Sauber's 2025 driver, Gabriel Bortoleto. Horner added:

"You're always keeping your eye on what the market is in all teams.

"But we have the strength and depth in the junior programme.

"[It] was good to see Isack doing a good job in Formula 2 as well. I think there's what, half a point between drivers going into the final race in Abu Dhabi."

Speaking on who is likely to replace Perez, if the decision is taken by Red Bull after the race in Abu Dhabi, Horner said:

"Liam and Yuki [Tsunoda], very closely matched in that race [the Qatar Grand Prix] in terms of pace. So, we've got a full stable of drivers."