Franco Colapinto on His Last-Minute F1 Call-Up: ‘A Dream Come True

Franco Colapinto discusses his unexpected F1 promotion after being withdrawn from F2 simulator by Williams

Logan Sargeant’s successor shares insights on surprising F1 advancement

Williams driver Franco Colapinto has shared details about the moment he learned he would be taking over from Logan Sargeant starting at this weekend's Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.

On Tuesday, after the Dutch Grand Prix held last weekend, Williams revealed that it will be ending its association with Sargeant and selecting Colapinto as his replacement for the rest of the season.

The Williams team saw no improvement in Sargeant's performance throughout the 2024 season, culminating in the American driver crashing a newly upgraded car during a practice session at Zandvoort.

Williams considered various candidates and ultimately selected Formula 2 newcomer Colapinto, who will compete for the first time this weekend at Monza.

Addressing the media at Monza for the first time since his surprising promotion, Colapinto shared that he was in the simulator on Monday getting ready for the F2 round when he received a call from Williams.

"To give you an idea, on Monday I was using the Formula 2 simulator to get ready for the race here in Monza with my team, so you can understand how last-minute it was," he explained.

"I'm not sure when they had it in mind, but it's a chance I've been prepared for and anticipating for a very long time."

"When I was a child, I constantly dreamed of this moment becoming a reality. So, standing here today and talking to all of you is a great honor, and I am deeply thankful for this chance."

"It arrived quite late, naturally, and while I am prepared, I must admit I didn't anticipate it."

"I am incredibly thrilled to join Williams. Their support has been phenomenal, and the chance they've provided me is extraordinary."

Colapinto, who participated in the first practice session at Silverstone for Williams, mentioned that there were no earlier talks about this chance, and it wasn't something he had considered for this year.

"Sure, I'm always prepared," he mentioned.

"I've been working behind the scenes as a driver for them for some time. I participated in the first free practice session at Silverstone, and they were quite pleased with how I performed. I believe they had already been considering me even before that."

"Naturally, it was unexpected. My attention was fully on Formula 2, and I was striving to perform at my best in the remaining four races while also getting ready for the team as thoroughly as I could."

"It deeply saddens me to part ways with MP Motorsport, as they have been like a family to me for many years. We have competed together since 2020, progressing through each championship step by step, and now the time has come for me to move on."

"You don't have control over when you make it to Formula 1, and I arrived at this moment and location, which makes this weekend in Monza particularly significant. To be honest, I'm extremely happy and very thankful."

Colapinto mentioned that his team has set specific goals for him before his F1 debut, but he chose not to disclose those targets. Instead, he shared his personal expectations.

"As a newcomer to both the sport and Formula 2, I don't have high expectations," he mentions.

“As I mentioned earlier, my plan is to take things one step at a time and concentrate on my own progress.

"I am confident that I can meet the team's expectations and focus on my job. I'm eager to get in the car tomorrow."

Explore Further

Breaking News

Breaking News

Website Map

Crash.Net

©1999-2024 Crash Media Group

It is prohibited to copy any part or the entirety of the text, images, or drawings in any manner.