Williams hopeful Franco Colapinto accepts that, faced with the choice of signing either himself or Carlos Sainz, Williams went with the “normal” option over the “risk” of putting a rookie in the car.
After months of speculation, Sainz announced in late July that he had signed a multi-year contract for 2025 and “beyond” with Williams .
Franco Colapinto’s management were in talks over the second Williams seat
Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo
Teaming up with Alex Albon, who earlier this year had agreed on a new long-term extension with the team, that put paid to Williams junior Colapinto’s hopes of stepping up from Formula 2 to Formula 1.
The 21-year-old says he understands Williams’ decision with Sainz the “normal” choice given his race-winning experience.
“Hope is always there and it’s the last thing you lose,” he told Argentine television channel DSports . “But I have no doubt that more opportunities will come.
“[Williams] is a great team. I already knew that if Carlos signed with Williams it was a very normal thing and something that would suit the team very well.
“They are two great drivers, team-mates Alex and Carlos, and they make a very good team so that’s a good thing for Williams. They are two very experienced drivers.
“Carlos comes from Ferrari and well, obviously signing a rookie would have been a lot cheaper, but it’s also a bit of a risk so, hopefully it will come soon [another opportunity].”
“We are going to work hard so that in 2026 Carlos has to leave,” he added with a laugh.
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Colapinto joined the Williams Driver Academy last year when he competed in Formula 3 with MP Motorsport before joining the team’s Formula 2 programme this year.
It, however, has not been the season he wants as he’s recorded just one race win, P1 at the Sprint in Imola, and sits P5 in the Drivers’ standings.
“Obviously I dreamed about it and my managers were working hard for it,” he said of the missed Williams opportunity. “A lot of talks in between… but I try not to lose focus on what I have to do.
“I knew it was going to be difficult as well. I had a difficult last few races due to factors beyond my control. I was driving well, but it’s true that I didn’t have good races in Spa and Hungary because of small mistakes from the team.
“We have to keep working, I also made mistakes in the first races of the year and they made some mistakes now, so it’s a team effort and we win and lose together.”
The 21-year-old had one outing in the Williams F1 car earlier this season when he was in action in FP1 at the British GP to cover one of the team’s mandatory young driver sessions.
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