‘He’s here for a reason’ – Drivers offer ‘talented’ new Williams racer Colapinto advice on his F1 debut

At the beginning of the week, Franco Colapinto was preparing for the next round of Formula 2, never expecting that within a few days he would become a Williams Formula 1 driver – with his new rivals offering the Argentinian some advice ahead of his debut.

Colapinto was drafted in to replace Logan Sargeant for this season’s remaining nine races after the American suffered a string of poor performances and a heavy crash at Zandvoort in his newly-updated car.

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The Argentinian previously drove in FP1 for the team in Silverstone and has been a member of Williams' driver academy since 2023, but has been competing for MP Motorsport in F2 for the majority of this year – taking his maiden victory in the Imola Sprint Race and achieving a further two podiums in the Barcelona and Spielberg Feature Races.

His sudden promotion will bring some unique challenges and incredible emotions, as described by some current drivers speaking to the media at Monza.

Alex Albon: 'There’s no pressure in terms of having to deliver'

As Colapinto’s team mate, Albon is in a strong position to help the youngster get used to the intricacies of the FW46 over the next few races.

“I think in some ways it’s a nice thing that he’s got, in my opinion – he knows the seat’s not up for grabs next year,” explained Albon, who’ll be partnered at Williams by Carlos Sainz in 2025. “There’s no pressure in terms of having to deliver as he’s not trying to get a seat for next year.

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“In some ways I think it’s just a bit of experience. I don’t know what Franco’s going to do next year, but the things you learn in F1 can help you a lot, let’s say if he does another year in Formula 2. Enjoy it!

“Of course there is a bit of a learning curve but he’s been in the car a couple of times already, so I don’t think it will be such a big thing, maybe more about the physicality when we get to Qatar and Singapore. That will be a difficult thing to get used to. Also, Williams are great at educating and teaching the drivers how to get the most out of it, and I’ll try to help him as much as I can as well.”

Lando Norris: 'He’s talented and he’s a very good kid'

Most drivers are granted a full season to get used to their team’s car and set-up, but Norris outlined how Colapinto will not be afforded that luxury, summarising that “it’s not an easy thing” to jump into a seat mid-season.

“I think the main thing is he knows the track, he knows the car. It’s just like external pressure, but I think he’s a guy who can probably deal with it very well. The more difficult part of coming in mid-season is we’re on top of everything – we know how the tyres work, how everything works – and we’re able to predict everything.

“For him, it’s the complete opposite almost. He’s going to go into certain times in qualifying and races just not being able to pre-empt what’s going to happen with the tyres when they get to this temperature, how then you have to drive.”

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The track surface at Monza was also recently replaced with new tarmac – and coupled with the already high temperatures, Colapinto will face difficulties in dealing with rapid tyre degradation.

Norris summarised: “We’re prepared for everything and every step of the way. For him, that’s going to be the tough part. He’s here for a reason because he’s talented and he’s a very good kid. I’m sure he’ll do just fine.”

Daniel Ricciardo: 'Monza is maybe the best race to jump into'

With a run of ruthless street circuits in Baku and Singapore coming up, Ricciardo pointed out that Monza is a perfect place for Colapinto to get settled in.

“I think because the seat is taken next year, in a way it maybe takes some pressure for him,” the RB driver said. “It’s a chance for him to go and learn to try and do something, and obviously give himself a chance for a future in the sport maybe the following year.

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“What I will say – look, it’s never easy – but what I will say which maybe makes him feel a bit better is Monza is one of the easier circuits on the calendar. You’re not jumping into Monaco or somewhere. Yes it’s high-speed, but it’s not the most intense circuit. Also physically, there’s lots of straights to catch a breath so as far as jumping into a race, this is maybe the best race to jump into. It’s a good warm-up for him.”

Fernando Alonso: 'Franco was always fast'

Earlier in the Argentinian’s junior career, he raced in the Formula 4 Spanish Championship for Drivex School, where he was backed by two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

“In Formula 4 he was racing with my team in Spain and with my colours,” the Spaniard said. “I think it was more that team supporting him than myself personally. You try to follow the young talent around, and Franco was always fast in Formula 4, Formula 3, and this year in Formula 2, so I’m happy for him.

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“Obviously Williams are in a good form now and I think this circuit has always been quite fast, so maybe he can fight even for the top 10, which is an amazing thing if it’s in your debut. I wish him the best. We all have a dream to become Formula 1 drivers one day and for him it’ll be this weekend, so I really wish that he enjoys it.”

Esteban Ocon: 'Hopefully he’s not too good!'

Colapinto will be driving around Monza’s historic circuit with 19 other racers who have years of experience competing in this series, which Ocon explained will be one of the toughest challenges.

“It’s for sure not an easy task to arrive and especially [the rest of us] having driven so many times, the drivers that have stayed the whole season. We’ve been running and driving and practising different things and we are much more on top of our game now compared to the beginning of the season.

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“I think it’s probably the best race for him to join as Williams have been performing super well in the last couple of years. It’s a good chance for him to be able to shine straight away.

“For him [the hardest part] will be to get used to the car, to get used to the environment, to try and optimise everything he can and sink in all the information. I suspect they are going to be quite a big threat to us the whole weekend so I wish him the best, but hopefully he’s not too good!”