A door is once again closed for Mick Schumacher: it is not a young German driver named Logan Sergeant, but a young Williams driver, the Argentine Franco Colapinto.
While at Zandvoort, many fans wondered: Will Mercedes reservist Mick Schumacher or Red Bull junior Liam Lawson replace accident driver Logan Sargent? Now the answer is: no. Williams gave birth to its own young driver, Franco Colapinto, on May 27, 2003, in Pilar, near Buenos Aires.
On 1 September, at the Italian GP, Colapinto will become the first Argentine to start a Grand Prix since Gaston Mazzagane (for Alain Prost’s racing team) at Imola in 2001. Colapinto is the second Argentine at Williams after the great Carlos Rudman.
“Williams Racing announces that Franco Colapinto will drive for the team for the remainder of the 2024 season and will compete alongside Alex Alban from the Italian Grand Prix. He will wear the starting number 43.
This will be the first time a GP driver will compete in it after drivers were able to choose a number freely. In the US this number is legendary as the starting number of NASCAR legend Richard Petty.
Williams continued: “Franco is a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and made his FP1 debut in the FW46 at the British Grand Prix this year. In his Formula 2 season this year he took a race win at Imola and podium finishes in the feature races in Barcelona and Austria, winning by seven points.
Colapinto is sixth in the Formula 2 championship.
Williams continued: “The team would like to take this opportunity to thank Logan Sargent for his hard work and contribution over the last two seasons. He has competed in 36 Grands Prix and last year became the first American driver to score an F1 point since Michael Andretti 30 years ago at the US GP. Logan will remain in the Williams family and we will be rooting for him as he continues his racing career.
Franco Colapinto says: “It’s an honor to make my Formula 1 debut with Williams – it’s what dreams are made of. The team has an incredible story and mission to get back to the top, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. Coming to Formula 1 in the middle of the season will be a big learning curve, but I am ready for the challenge and will work as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success »
James Walls, Williams team principal: “To change driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly. But we believe this gives Williams a better chance to fight for points throughout the season.
“We’ve made a big improvement in the car and need to take every opportunity to get into the points in a remarkably tight battle in midfield.”
“We are investing in our young drivers at the Williams Racing Driver Academy and Franco will have a fantastic opportunity to show what he is capable of in the final nine races of the season. I know Franco is very fast and has great potential, and I look forward to seeing what he can achieve in Formula 1. We look forward to it.”
“This is undoubtedly difficult for Logan, he has given everything throughout his time at Williams and we would like to thank him for his work and his positive attitude. Logan is a talented driver and we will support him as he continues his racing career.
Williams did not say how this would happen.
Colapinto’s time is also limited: Williams will drive alongside Alex Alban and Carlos Sainz in 2025.
