Rookie Colapinto impresses at Williams: Was Sainz the right choice for '25?
16:00, 16 Sep 2024
10 Comments
Franco Colapinto has only two Grands Prix to his name, but the Argentine has demonstrated he is an asset to Formula 1. His eighth-place finish in Baku—even ahead of Lewis Hamilton—is proof that Williams made the right decision to bring him in as a replacement for the dismissed Logan Sargeant. But is it also a wise move that Colapinto has to make way for Carlos Sainz after this F1 season?
Formula 1 teams tend to opt for the old, familiar names. Take drivers like Daniel Ricciardo and Valtteri Bottas. They are now older, driving around anonymously in the midfield (or even worse) and with no opportunities to move to a top team. And yet they have not (yet) been replaced by younger drivers who have a future in the sport. Why not? Because teams know what they have to gain from these drivers. Their performance level is known, and they usually don't have many crashes.
Rookies are more unpredictable. They can win regularly in Formula 2, but there is no certainty that they will have a successful career in F1. Another factor that should not be underestimated is pressure, and not everyone can handle it. Moreover, rookies almost always cause damage. Damage costs money that cannot be used to develop the car further, so the choice is quickly made: No rookie. Instead, it is a familiar name, even if it brings nothing extra.
Williams deliberately chose not to have a rookie
A few weeks ago, Williams was overjoyed to have secured Carlos Sainz for 2025 and beyond. Sainz is a proven Grand Prix winner who has worked at Ferrari at the top level. Team boss James Vowles even ranked him among the top three drivers on the grid. Williams is convinced that the Spaniard can reach a fairly consistent level and should be able to score points regularly.
Fair is fair; Sainz has not made a significant impression in recent months. Yes, he won a Grand Prix this season, but his teammate Charles Leclerc has since done it twice. Meanwhile, the Monegasque is clearly beating his teammate weekly, demonstrating why he - and not Leclerc - had to make way for Lewis Hamilton in 2025. His odd manoeuvre on Sunday in the closing stages of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which caused him to end up in the wall with Sergio Perez, was an example of Sainz's lack of top-notch form.
Colapinto shows his class
Meanwhile, the British racing team has recently had an Argentinian junior named Franco Colapinto in one of its cars, a driver who is impressing as Sargeant's replacement. Sure, Sargeant was also a rookie last season. However, the American was never known for his talent, unlike Colapinto. In Baku last weekend, the South American already scored points for the first time. Yet, however strong the youngster performs in 2024, he has to make way for Sainz.
It's easy to talk in hindsight. And yes, Colapinto, too, will probably make a stupid mistake somewhere in the remaining races, thus throwing away important points. But in retrospect, signing Sainz does not seem to have been necessary at all, as I am sure the Spaniard would not get much more - if any at all - out of the Williams. Moreover, Colapinto would have been a cheaper option, and he appears to be a huge magnet for sponsors from Argentina. The main argument: Colapinto is only 21 years old, and Williams could enjoy him for many years to come.
Above all, Colapinto should continue on the path he has embarked on. Chances are that another F1 team will then quickly pick him up, and the Argentinian will prove Williams wrong there.
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton
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Colapinto impressed for sure. But also depends how high people rank Albon. For me he's never been very high on my F1 drivers list.
Albon has driven very well in that Williams. And really, where Albon finishes isn't really the thing. Colapinto finished in the top 10 in a Williams, in his 2nd ever F1 event. Regardless of Albon, that's impressive, but made more so by the fact they finished 2s apart.
You don't know how well somebody has driven, before you haven't had 2nd good driver in that same car.
There's many who praised how good Schumacher also was next to Mazepin. Then Magnussen came.
Then people praised how good Magnussen was, until Hülkenberg came.
Then we've spoken how good Hülkenberg is, until Bearman came.
Tsunoda is also now suddenly pretty good, could even go to take a RedBull seat, when driving next to de Vries or rookie Lawson. But not that long ago was clearly behing Gasly.
Albon has had nothing but bad team-mates after Verstappen, you don't get a clear picture like that.
A guy from F2, not even the quickest one there should not beat you on his 2nd race in qualy or be even close to you in the race. This shows more about Albon lacking something, than anything else.
I know it's a good thing to put a Williams car in the top 10 no matter who is driving it.
And you can't suddenly say Albon or Hulkenberg are any worse than first thought just down to one race. Maybe Hulkenberg would have wiped the floor with Bearman in the remaining races had Bearman stayed.
The clear picture I get is how that Williams performs. It's not a front running car and has been operating middle to back of the grid for years.
The fact that both Williams finished in the top 10 of a race, the first time since US GP 2023. The times before that was 2021 Hungary and 2018 Italian GP's.
So forth time in 6 years. For a guy in his 2nd race, that's impressive stuff in my books.
"A guy from F2, not even the quickest one there should not beat you on his 2nd race in qualy or be even close to you in the race."
We've seen drivers come from lower classes and just flunk in F1.
Conversely, we've seen drivers who weren't top of the tree in their previous formula and do well in F1.
And all sorts of things can happen in races where a less good or experienced team-mate will end up beating you. It's not all about talent, there is luck involved too as well as many other variables.
See I got around to you eventually. I had better things to do in life, so hope you don't mind the delay. I've got a few mins to spare, so you can have those...
"Saying Sainz has way more experience than Albon, so Albon has a right to not perform well, is funny man. "
It would indeed be funny if I'd said that. :)
But as you have a distinct propensity to twist and totally change people's words and claim they said things they didn't, I don't have to worry about being funny. :)
Is there a reason you feel the need to make things up and claim people who are debating with you, said things that they never said? Is this part of how you try and make your points by first trying to bring down the other party with dishonest statements and then hoping your points can sell more?
Just wondering as I'm noticing this pattern from you.
It's not a good idea to do this as you'll easily and quickly be discredited to the point that none of your arguments will be taken seriously any more. Why would you do that to yourself?
Stick to the facts, be more aware of what's being said.
If you're confused about something I've said, just ask me and I'll gladly help you out. OK?
"And yes I speculate, first thing you are saying right in a long long time, cause that's what this blog is all about, speculation."
Blogs in general are for discussion and debate. That requires words and sometimes quite a few of them. That's something I'll address in your other post where you whinge at post length, seemingly unaware what an actual discussion entails.
As for THIS blog? Sure, lots of speculation in absence of people knowing the facts. I've seen that a lot on here.
It's a shame, but some people just aren't in charge of the right information so they guess.
"And I'm starting to think this is indeed some competition for you talking with others. You constantly talk about "winning and losing" and if somebody stops talking with you, you say "you lost, cause you don't have any arguments", when in reality people just get tired of you."
Ah so now we're getting more personal. OK I can go there too. Noted.
What people get tired of is losing their arguments.
You have to bring good one's if you're going to debate with me and so many just fall short. It's unfortunate for them.
The competition is not from me. It's mentioned (rarely) because I believe that's how others see it. They make points more in desperation to get a win, rather than focus on the topic. Usually it's about me. Just like you have done here with this final paragraph.
You can't win with your F1 arguments, so you stoop to making it personal and about me. It's the first sign that you know you're losing the argument.
If you know you had good points and a good argument, you'd focus on that instead of trying to be personal and bring me down.
The moment you lose that focus and forget about the argument and start making it about me, you're already done.
Don't say something you won't be able to take back or undo.
I have a very good memory.
Saying Sainz has way more experience than Albon, so Albon has a right to not perform well, is funny man.
In F1 you need 2 seasons max and you are there with others experience wise, driving for podiums and winning races. Look at Piastri, look at Verstappen. If it takes longer, then it's not about experience anymore, it's about you not being good enough.
And yes I speculate, first thing you are saying right in a long long time, cause that's what this blog is all about, speculation.
And I'm starting to think this is indeed some competition for you talking with others. You constantly talk about "winning and losing" and if somebody stops talking with you, you say "you lost, cause you don't have any arguments", when in reality people just get tired of you.
Speculation. And if you get satisfaction from such little things, then I think you should get outside more.
Nothing Sainz does at Williams will prove any point you think you're making.
If Sainz doesn't do well vs Albon then it will show how good Colapinto was if he can keep up the same level of performance he showed in Baku.
If Sainz outperforms Albon, then I'll just say it's down to his experience. Old time experience beats talent. The opposite of your other claim.
Experience in a race, managing tyres and pacing yourself etc. can beat out right talent who may burn out their tyres or whatever.
There's no game for you to win here.
You get your answer next year when Sainz arrives. Then I will say "told you so".
I was a bit sceptical when COL was announced to replace SAR. And must say that COL made me change a bit my mind. Even though, I prefer to see how he will continue to perform. If SAI is the right choice, we will have to wait for next season to. But if SAI should be better than ALB, the right question will be if ALB is the right choice.
Colapinto's weekend, whilst marred by a early crash, was very impressive. If he continues this form, it will be a shame not to see him offered a seat somewhere in F1 for 2025 but what seats even remain? 2026 might be more realistic perhaps.
Sainz I think would have been able to put in just as good a performance. But for Colapinto do this with his lack of experience compared to Sainz, was great. And he finished just behind his team-mate giving Williams their first double points finish in quite a while.
Bearman, the other rookie, ended up beating his team-mate Hulkenberg by a slim margin, but still....
Some good talent on the horizon for F1.