Last Monday Franco Colapinto was on the MP Motorsport team simulator to prepare for the Formula 2 weekend in Monza. At a certain point the phone rang and he saw the name ‘James Vowles’ on the display. Could it really be that… He didn’t want to believe what first came to mind, then the Williams team principal confirmed that it was all true. “I have no idea when they made this decision – explained Colapinto in his first press conference as an F1 driver – but it’s an opportunity I’ve always been ready for. I’ve waited so long for this moment, as a kid I’ve always dreamed that one day it could really happen, and today I’m here talking to all of you…”.
Colapinto is excited, but immediately afterward it becomes clear what was one of the qualities that made a dent in Williams’s convictions: determination. “I wasn’t given much advance notice,” he continued, “and… can I say it? I wasn’t expecting it, which is why I struggle to explain how happy I am to be here. It may seem like a polite word, but it’s not: I really owe a lot to Williams, the opportunity they gave me is simply incredible.”
For many insiders, Colapinto’s choice was a surprise, the expected candidate at the start of the Italian Grand Prix was Mick Schumacher, but Vowles’ opinion was decisive. “I’ve been busy working behind the scenes for a while,” Colapinto explained, “I did the FP1 tests at Silverstone and the team was happy with the work I did. But, I repeat, I wasn’t expecting this call, I was totally focused on preparing for my F.2 weekend and I admit it’s a bit strange to think that I won’t be behind the wheel of the car I’ve driven so far.”
Franco Colapinto, Williams F1 Team (Photo Williams)
From the moment Williams made the decision to bet on the driver from their own academy, a tour de force began that saw Colapinto grappling with the work of preparing for the weekend. “We did a lot of things in a very short time,” he confirmed, “a new seat was made, I prepared well on the simulator, I spoke with my track engineer and the performance engineer, they gave me a lot of information, suggestions and details to make the learning process a little faster.”
The short and medium term goals are not yet well defined. Colapinto knows that making predictions is an exercise that only involves risks. “My main goal is to focus on myself, trying to do the best job possible,” he admitted. “The team has very clear targets, which we are focusing on and that I am sharing. At the moment my target is to learn as quickly as possible and everyone is helping me. I will be a rookie, but I was also a rookie in F.2, and I know that you have to proceed step by step and be guided by the team. I can say that I feel capable of doing it, and I can’t wait to start tomorrow.”
Colapinto is determined to make the most of this opportunity, nine Formula 1 Grands Prix, then we’ll see. Now is certainly not the time to think about what the long-term future holds for him, he is aware that after the Abu Dhabi GP he will have to leave the car to Carlos Sainz. But Formula 1 has often offered great opportunities to those who have been able to surprise.
“I didn’t expect to be in Formula 1 in 2025,” he explained, “and instead… here I am in 2024. Physically, I’m ready, I’ve prepared well regardless of this opportunity, I’m proud to bring the Argentine flag back to F1 after 23 years, I’ve always dreamed of it. I came to race in Italy very young, I was 14 and I lived in a garage, I didn’t know how to cook, I didn’t know how to wash my clothes, at the beginning I didn’t know Italian, it was tough. But I grew up quickly, 12,000 km away from my family. Now I’m happy to live in Europe, I’m happy to be in Williams and I’m incredibly happy to have this opportunity. It makes up for everything.”
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