F1 Rumor: Franco Colapinto Set To Sign With This Team For 2025

Saajan Jogia | Oct 23, 2024

Franco Colapinto - Williams Racing / Williams Racing Press Image

Williams interim driver Franco Colapinto has been speculated for a future move to Red Bull's junior team, VCARB, according to Formula 1 journalist Joe Saward. The Argentine F2 driver replaced Logan Sargeant for the last leg of the 2024 season.

However, Colapinto remains without a full-time F1 seat for 2025 since Williams had already signed current Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz for the spot alongside Alex Albon. The junior driver was brought in to replace an underperforming Sargeant and assist the team in elevating its position in the premier class.

Since his F1 debut at the Italian Grand Prix, Colapinto has already scored five points, which greatly exceeds Sargeant's tally in his time with the Grove outfit. With only one seat available on the grid for 2025 at Sauber and numerous contenders vying for a spot with Audi when it fully takes over in 2026, there is concern that Colapinto may be forced to return to F2 next year. This move could be disheartening for such a promising talent, potentially stalling his momentum at a crucial stage in his career.

Saward has stated that Colapinto is being considered by Red Bull for a seat in VCARB for 2025 alongside Yuki Tsunoda, replacing Liam Lawson. Lawson, who received his chance to race full-time in Formula 1 at the recent United States Grand Prix, will be promoted to replace an underperforming Sergio Perez at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, as per the report from Saward.

Despite signing a two-year contract extension in May, Perez faced the risk of being replaced before the summer break due to his inconsistent performance. Now though, the speculation suggests Perez won't make it to the 2025 season. Writing in his Green Notebook of the possibility that lay ahead for Colapinto, Saward said:

"Of late, of course Perez fans have been getting uncomfortable about the future of their hero. One can be rude about those who deliver the message but in the end the truth will out. Let us wait until the end of the year to see what happens in 2025 but Liam Lawson did a super job for VCARB in Austin and the joy the Red Bull folk seemed to me to be related to the fact that perhaps they feel they have found a solution to their problem.

"They may also have found a solution to the vacancy that a departing Lawson might create at VCARB, as Franco Colapinto is doing a great job for Williams and he has no drive in 2025, as the team is committed to Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. The word is that Red Bull is now sniffing around Franco. Sainz and Albon are both due to stay at Williams until at least the end of 2026 and so there is no space at the moment for the Argentine driver, while Red Bull needs a strong youngster…"