Williams Racing has entered into an agreement with Alpine, with the Enstone-based team securing the services of Franco Colapinto on a multi-year deal.
21-year-old Argentine Colapinto stepped up to a race seat with Williams for the final nine races of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season from the team’s Driver Academy and will take up the role of Test and Reserve Driver at Alpine for the upcoming 2025 season.
On his Grand Prix debut with Williams at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, Franco became the first driver to compete in Formula 1 from his home country in 23 years.
He scored points on just his second outing at the following race in Baku, finishing eighth. He achieved his second points-scoring appearance at the United States Grand Prix in October.
Vowles: We want to thank Franco for everything he has brought to the team.
Williams team boss James Vowles confirmed in a statement: “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 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, and 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; we want to thank Franco for everything he has brought to the team and look forward to future battles on track," concluded Vowles.
Colapinto: Williams made my dreams come true
In the official press release, announcing the news by Alpine, Colapinto commented: "I am super excited to have the opportunity to join BWT Alpine Formula One Team.
"First of all, I want to say thank you to Williams for all their support from the moment I joined the Academy until the last race in Abu Dhabi. They turned my dream of racing in Formula One into reality, and I will always be grateful for that.
"Now, it is time for a new chapter, and to take on this challenge with BWT Alpine Formula One Team is truly an honour. A huge thank you to Luca [de Meo], Flavio [Briatore] and Oliver [Oakes] for believing in me and welcoming me into the team with open arms. I cannot wait to get started and see where this journey takes us.
"Also, a massive thank you to all my sponsors and partners who stood by me through the challenges of the 2024 season. Your support made it all possible, and to my incredible fans in Argentina: ‘Muchas gracias!’ Your passion and encouragement mean the world to me. Let’s aim for even greater things in 2025 and beyond.” added Colapinto.
Who will it be on the grid for Alpine in Melbourne: Doohan or Colapinto?
Earlier we reported that Alpine decision maker Flavio Briatore is committed to Pierre Gasly and rookie Jack Doohan to start the season for the team. Reports doing the media rounds in Argentina suggest Colapinto will in fact line up for Alpine at the season opener in Melbourne.
For now, the first step to get Colapinto to the French team is accomplished by Briatore, time will tell if Doohan will be the fall guy or not.
Briatore said: “We are very pleased to come to an agreement with Williams Racing to sign Franco Colapinto. Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the Formula 1 grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise.
"His performances were very impressive for a rookie driver. We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success," ventured Briatore.
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