Franco Colapinto hopes his points finish in Formula 1’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix shows his talent and that he is deserving of a berth at Williams, after it let Logan Sargeant go prematurely.
Colapinto’s achievements in Baku – making the Q3 cut and finishing eighth to score four points – were things Sargeant never managed in 2024, where his bruising one-and-a-half seasons in F1 with the Williams squad concluded early when the American was replaced by the Argentine after the Dutch GP.
At the end of the Baku race, Colapinto had just passed Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg to reach 10th place when Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez crashed ahead, and that incident boosted him a further two spots.
Speaking to reporters including Autosport afterwards, he was asked if the result paid back Williams boss James Vowles’s trust in promoting him suddenly from Formula 2 ahead of the Monza round two weeks ago.
A key part in the messaging around that decision was how it had been made to give Williams its best chance to score points.
“They showed so much confidence and trust in putting me in a seat,” said Colapinto. “It was a very difficult bet, and a bet that many people didn’t understand.
“But I hope to be showing what I’m capable of and that I deserve a seat in Formula 1. The idea and the opportunity that James gave me are helping me to show that.
“I am just doing a lot of work to try to learn quick. I have very little mileage in a Formula 1 car, it’s only two races and one Free Practice 1 and a few laps in Abu Dhabi last year.
“But I think with the little mileage I’ve got, to be in the points in my second race is something really positive and very good. So, we have to keep going, but it’s a good start.”
Colapinto called his Baku result a “dream come true”, which combined with team-mate Alex Albon finishing just ahead in seventh helped Williams move ahead of Alpine to eighth in the constructors’ standings.
“We did a great job with the team,” he added. “We moved up Williams in the championship and I’m very happy with the result.
“It’s a great result for the team. Both cars in the points, P8 in the constructors’ championship, both cars in the top eight. It’s something unexpected and amazing for the team, for Williams, they really deserve it.
“So yeah, just very happy for what we achieved together, and we need to keep working on the future.”
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