Who is Franco Colapinto? | The man replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams

it's not a massive surprise that he's been dropped by Williams at all is it we all knew that it was going to happen were you surprised by the timing though chrisan no not at all I I I was watching fp1 in zambo and as soon as that crash happened I just thought the right that that's it now that I thought was the straw that broke the camels back and the writing on the wall cuz the car was in the wall and because the car was in the wall as soon as I thought as soon as I saw that I thought I don't think he can come back from this now I wonder whether like mentally just the whole announcement I don't know just car signs yeah and just all of that happening what was it three weeks before he crashed whether that had a bit of an impact I don't know um I don't think it will have helped I think going right back to the start when Logan was put in the Williams seat uh you know you look at other drivers like Jack Duan will be getting his opportunity next year he had three seasons in F2 Logan had less maybe Logan could have benefited from a bit more Junior series experience yeah I think he could but would other drivers have taken the opportunity to be promoted maybe a little bit early and shown more Pace straight away yes they would you know we've SE we've spoken in the past about drivers making their debut really really young I I I think it's unfortunate for Logan I I I don't know him well I know him from speaking to him on this podcast and for a few other bits I've always really enjoyed talking to him always think he's a really nice guy want to wish him all the best because he's a hugely talented racing driver who I think will probably end up in indie car and go and do a fantastic job but I think the blunt reality is this is the top level of Motorsport this is the best of the best and what we've seen with this podcast you know when we started last season and we were following the progress of Oscar piastri and Logan Sergeant as the rookies they were both the first two drivers on this podcast we've seen something very typical happening of of what happens in F1 some people fly and Rise Like Oscar and some people ultimately don't make the cut like Logan and unfortunately he's not made the cut and I'm and I'm really sad about that I think he'll be a lot happier doing something else yeah some we've talked about this before haven't we that actually it's not for everyone and it just sometimes doesn't work out no it has out and it's not the end of his racing career oh no he is still one of the most talented quickest drivers in the world to do what he has done he's not disgraced himself at Williams you know to do what he has done he is a huge talent and there was also a lot of inaccurate reporting when he got the job because his predecessor Nicholas latifi was in there at a time when Williams needed money were getting sponsorship no and they were saying oh it's the same with Logan or he's American and they're try to the attract the American fans you know he's an academy driver who they backed and good for Williams for giving him a shot unfortunately it doesn't always work out in F1 we've seen that throughout the sports history he's reached his dream he made it for a bit like okay he's you know not winning but he got there and he competed in formula one not many people can say that they've done that I would also on a human level love to have him on the podcast still absolutely love to catch up with his story because I feel really invested in this guy now he's welcome and anytime you've had burgers with him New York I've spent a lot of time with L I did the launch in New York with him did ate a burger with him in New York as well so I'd like I'd love to keep up with him because I think whatever he does next will be interesting and he's clearly got a lot of fans and as we said he one of the quickest drivers in the world just he just statistically is he managed to get to the top and it's very difficult as we know from history of this sport it's very difficult to stay there isn't it and the ones that do it just actually shows just how amazing some of the alltime greats are AB you know look at the you Fernando Alonzo and you Louis Hamilton they're still doing it come on then Franco colapinto tell us some stuff Argentinian that's what I know 21 years old 21 I know that now he's Argentinian he's 21 we've seen him this year because he drove at silverston in fp1 uh free practice one free practi well done you've always got to pick me up when I go to F1 geeky uh he was a he was a respectable 410 off Alex albon in that session he also that weekend was racing in F2 where he's racing this weekend really difficult to combine an F2 weekend with an F1 weekend so to get in the car and be1 off Alex is very impressive he's had a very solid Junior career including winning Spanish F4 in 2019 third in Formula Renault uh Europe Cup in 2020 and then um raced in F3 in 22 and 23 fourth in F3 in 2023 and then he will leave the F2 Championship this year in sixth place having won a Sprint race in IMA and been second in the feature race in Spain and Austria so all in all that adds up to a very very solid Junior career and he's being given the chance at the very very top level just to give a bit of context for those that might not know how hard is it to make the podium in Formula 2 really hard because all the cars are the same for a start and formula 2 is a chaotic series so yeah to have that L it's not coincidence that we're talking first in Spanish F4 third in the formula Rena Europe Cup as I say fourth in F3 in 20123 these podiums it shows a driver who's consistently competing up there at the top that's why he gave backing from the likes of a Formula 1 team in Williams it's not easy to achieve those results it's so interesting is it CU we're not the only people that are surprised by this announc surprised it's people weren't expecting it to be him that Mick schumacker was rumored Liam Lawson Kimmy Antonelli the two that were linked well three that were linked because you're right um I don't I I think there was a desire to keep Kimmy Antonelli in F2 to finish his F2 Championship so I don't think Mercedes would have been up for say sticking him in too early I think they wanted to get him to finish the championship it had James valter knocked on the door of Toto wolf said can we borrow him for the rest of the year Liam Lawson I believe conversations did happen about Liam Lawson to try and borrow him from Red Bull I think Red Bull are conscious that might they need to make a change before the end of the season in a battle for the Constructors Championship is it Beyond is it off the table completely that Sergio Perez is replaced at Red Bull before the end of the season no I don't think it is plus you know we saw Liam race last year because he is the reserve driver for two Formula 1 teams Red Bull and RB so you know they didn't want to be left in a situation without a backup plan wow Mick schumacker is the one that looks to be as I got on the plane in zambot looked to be the favorite I think the fact that he's been passed up by Alpine for the seat next year by Jack Duan the fact that he didn't have a seat last year or this year the fact he's again been passed up by Williams suggests that for what ever reason these people making the decisions in Formula 1 just don't have faith in Mick and so Williams have done what they did with Logan they've gone let's give an opportunity to one of our reserve drivers and I've seen a few people say well it's silly because he's not going to race for Williams next year no of course he's not but we don't know a situation where Williams will get one of their drivers stolen in the future and need a replacement you know Alon and SS that could happen we also there is a spot on the grid available next year saver is still waiting on making their decision at who's going to partner nicah hulkenberg botas and Joe both in the mix neither of them confirmed we've seen in the past when Super Sub appearances like Nick Dev and teams go actually you're really good aren't you it's not beyond the Realms of possibility so it's really really interesting and good for Williams for giving backing to a young driver so it's a good shop window for him really great the very best shop window obviously there's lots to lose but really there's nothing much to lose it's not like he you know he's not going to be driving for Williams next year cuz that's Carlos signs his seat to to to give you the other side of the argument surely it might not be overly beneficial for him to just take him out of Formula 2 that that is an argument people will raise again I said with Logan earlier he might have benefited from a bit more F2 experience and he's only done half a season in F2 so yes that is an argument you could put but listen they're not da these people they you know they know what they're doing yeah so listen good for Williams they've they've given a young driver a chance and what a chance it is it is indeed um AIS AIS Haag affis Haag one of our listeners has got in touch he said what will James BS be hoping that a less qualified driver than Logan will be able to do for them for the rest of the season well let's use zamort as an example Alex had a great qualifying um was disqualified for technical infringement and that immediately eliminated Williams chances of scoring points because Logan wasn't up there and Logan was almost never on the pace of Alex they need a driver that is going to be much more capable speed wise of being closer to Alex because every Point counts and really Williams have been driving one handed Alex has been the only one who looks capable of getting points and also they need someone not to crash as much I think Logan's crash damage bill was too high and I think maybe he'd have kept his seat to the end of the season if he was keeping it out the wall more often and just being off the pace but once the start to combine I think that was writing on the wer Logan [Music]