Franco Colapinto Joins Williams Racing for the Remainder of the 2024 Season

Williams Racing has officially announced that Franco Colapinto will race with the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. He will compete alongside Alex Albon from the Italian Grand Prix onward, using the race number #43.

Franco Colapinto is a proud member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy. His career saw him making his Formula 1 practice debut in the FW46 during this year’s British Grand Prix. In the current Formula 2 season, he has showcased remarkable skill, clinching a race win in Imola and securing podium finishes in both the Barcelona and Austria Feature races. Additionally, he has achieved seven other scoring finishes.

At just 21 years old, Colapinto becomes the 49th Grand Prix driver in the history of Williams Racing. He also holds the distinction of being the first Argentine driver in Formula 1 in 23 years and is only the second Argentine to represent Williams, following the famous Carlos Reutemann.

Williams Racing expressed gratitude towards Logan Sargeant for his hard work and contributions over the past two seasons. Sargeant, who has taken part in 36 Grands Prix and became the first American driver to score an F1 point in 30 years during the US GP last year, will continue to be supported by the Williams team as he pursues the next steps in his racing career.

Franco Colapinto commented on this significant milestone, stating, “It is an honour to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of. The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can’t wait to be part of. Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge.”

James Vowles, the Team Principal, emphasized the difficulty of replacing a driver mid-season but noted that this decision aims to enhance Williams’ chances of scoring points. He remarked, “We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximise every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle.” He reaffirmed the team’s commitment to nurturing young drivers like Colapinto to show their potential during the final nine rounds of the season.