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Franco Colapinto believes his future in Formula 1 remains uncertain for the 2025 season despite securing another points finish at the 2024 US Grand Prix. Speaking to media, including Sportskeeda, after the race, the Argentinian rookie expressed satisfaction with the result, especially after a challenging qualifying session on Saturday.
Since making his F1 debut at the 2024 Italian GP, Colapinto has earned five points, having replaced Logan Sargeant mid-season. He has now scored points in two of the four races he has contested—eighth in Baku and tenth in Austin. His impressive performances have made him a sought-after prospect on the driver market for 2025.
When asked about his future, Colapinto acknowledged that nothing was guaranteed yet. There is speculation that he is a candidate for a race seat with Audi for 2025, where he could potentially partner with Nico Hulkenberg. However, with Williams already confirming their 2025 lineup of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, Colapinto’s next steps remain undecided.
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Reflecting on his weekend in Austin, Colapinto found relief in securing a top-10 finish after a disappointing qualifying session. Competing in his first sprint race weekend at a circuit he was familiar with, the rookie opted for a strategic race approach. Starting on hard tires, he capitalized on clean air to make progress through the field before switching to medium tires to maintain a competitive pace and secure a tenth-place finish. Colapinto felt that his strong performance on the hard compound allowed him to maximize the car’s potential, ultimately rewarding him and his team with a well-deserved result.
Asked by Sportskeeda if the current points result had helped him solidify his prospects for the 2025 season, Colapinto said:
“Same position. Nothing changes.”
Describing his race in Austin and the result, he added:
“Yeah, I am happy. it was a very tough Saturday for us and I think we knew that we had the pace in the car to be strong and to deliver in the race. That's why I decided to start on the hard to have a bit of clean air. I felt that maybe it was not ideal. But I knew that having the pace on the hard, it was going to be better for us. You know, to try and have that pace in the clean air and do the jump on the track, whilst we were on our sequence.
"And to be honest, when we put in, well, first when we were in clean air on the hards, we were really strong and then once we put the mediums we were flying. So it was great to see you know how we bounced today and how we came back stronger after a very difficult day yesterday. It was a tough Saturday for the team but they deserved the point of today and they worked hard for it so it's well deserved.”
Franco Colapinto feels the need to sort time management at the sprint format weekend
Franco Colapinto acknowledged that the limited track time during the sprint weekend in Austin made it particularly challenging for him. With only one practice session available, the Williams rookie felt that adapting to the Circuit of the Americas, which he had never driven before, was difficult. Reflecting on his maiden sprint weekend, Colapinto said there were valuable lessons to take away, especially when it came to managing time and maximizing performance during the free practice session.
Looking ahead, the Argentinian driver expressed his desire to improve his approach for the next sprint weekend in Brazil. He is hopeful that better time management and familiarity with the sprint format will allow him to deliver stronger results as he continues to gain experience in Formula 1.
Asked if his first sprint race weekend in F1 was challenging, Franco Colapinto said:
“Yeah. It was... It was busy, you know, you had quite burned out and it's something I need to manage a bit more. The time means I need to manage a bit more, the free times and try to be a bit more relaxed in the moments that I can be. Because it is very busy, you are under a lot of pressure all the time and just need to try and understand how to manage a bit better in Brazil. I think it was a good experience to try and learn now. First of course, here in Austin and be stronger in Brazil.”
Franco Colapinto has been impressive in his rookie season, outperforming his more experienced teammate Alex Albon in both the sprint and qualifying sessions at the USGP. Throughout his four-race stint so far, Colapinto has shown remarkable pace and consistency, matching Albon in Monza and Azerbaijan, and outperforming him in Singapore and Austin. This strong showing has earned him the praise and support of Williams Team Principal James Vowles, who has been vocal in his efforts to secure Colapinto a seat at Audi Sauber for the 2025 season.
Despite being relatively new to Formula 1, Colapinto’s contribution of five points in just four races stands out compared to Albon’s 12 points across 18 races. Williams, currently sitting eighth in the Constructors’ championship with 17 points, find themselves far behind Red Bull’s junior team, VCARB, who are comfortably in seventh. Colapinto’s impressive performances could be crucial for Williams as they push to close the gap in the season's remaining races.
