Williams Academy Driver and FIA Formula 2 rookie Franco Colapinto has revealed his management held talks with the Grove-based Formula 1 outfit over partnering Alex Albon in 2025 before the team opted to sign Carlos Sainz.
After a pursuit of many months, Williams finally landed outgoing Ferrari driver Sainz on a multi-year deal, announcing the contract in late July.
For a team currently ninth in the Constructors’ standings, signing a driver of Sainz’s stature is a strong signal of intent showing Williams is serious about progressing up the grid.
With the Sainz deal taking a long time to get over the line, its understandable that Colapinto and his management team sought to work their way into the 2025 Williams conversation, but the Argentine driver holds no grudges over missing out.
“Hope is always there and it’s the last thing you lose,” Colapinto 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 [another opportunity] will come soon.”
Seeking to emulate multiple Grands Prix winner and famous F1 Argentine Carlos Reutemann, Colpainto added “We are going to work hard so that in 2026 Carlos has to leave.
“Obviously I dreamed about it and my managers were working hard for it [joining Williams].”
Colapinto joined the Williams Academy programme last year en route to finishing fourth in the FIA Formula 3 World Championship after winning two races.
The Argentine was rewarded with an outing in the Williams FW45 in last year’s Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test, ahead of his full-time graduation to Formula 2 in 2024.
Colapinto has adapted well to F2, winning once and scoring a further two podiums to sit sixth in the Drivers’ standings.
Still, striving for perfection like any racing driver, Colapinto admitted improvements can be made by him and his MP Motorsport team after missing out on the podium across the last three rounds of the F2 campaign.
“I had a difficult last few races due to factors beyond my control,” he said.
“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.”
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