F1 News
Williams says goodbye to Colapinto: 'We would always support him!'
- Cas van de Kleut
Franco Colapinto is set to leave Williams for Alpine after the two teams have reached a multi-year agreement. Colapinto will join Paul Aaron and Ryo Hirakawa as a test and reserve driver. The three will share the driving duties amongst themselves.
Williams grants Colapinto a chance in Formula One
Vowles began, “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Alpine for Franco to join the team on a multi-year arrangement starting in 2025. Over nine memorable races with Williams, he clearly showed he is deserving of a place in Formula 1, and we always said we would support him to get one. Williams has one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid for 2025 and beyond in Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, so we believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco’s best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026.
The Williams team principal continued, "The Williams Racing Driver Academy exists to discover and develop the F1 stars of the future, which is exactly what it has done in Franco’s case. It also builds on our long tradition of giving talented young drivers their break at the top level of motorsport. We are proud to have returned Argentina to the F1 grid, want to thank Franco for everything he has brought to the team and look forward to future battles on track.”
Colapinto thanks Williams
Colapinto thanked Williams after announcing his departure: “I want to say a big thanks to Williams Racing and the team partners, who supported me from the moment I joined the Academy and gave me the opportunity to become a Formula 1 driver. They made my dreams come true and I will always be grateful for that. I’d like to thank the mechanics and all the team members who made a massive effort to put the car on track and give me the opportunity to score points. And to the fans, who have been so supportive, you have been there for us in the good times and bad; you are the best.”
This article was written in collaboration with Savannah Lenz.
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels!