Vowles on why Colapinto got the nod over Lawson and ‘good but not special’ Schumacher for Williams seat

Williams team boss James Vowles has confirmed that there were three clear candidates to slot in as Alex Albon’s team mate once he decided to part ways with Logan Sargeant – as he revealed why the team’s academy driver Franco Colapinto got the nod.

Sargeant was halfway through his second campaign in the sport, but a particularly challenging run – which included a costly crash in an updated car during practice at Zandvoort last time out – prompted Vowles to make a mid-season change.

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In Sargeant’s place has come Williams Driver Academy Franco Colapinto, with the 21-year-old Argentine promoted from an encouraging first full F2 season that has included a victory and two further second-place finishes.

Speaking to the media about the decision at Monza on Friday, Vowles shared: “If we go through what options were available to us, there were three on the table, which all of you sort of figured out. One was Liam Lawson, one was Mick [Schumacher] and one was Franco.

“With Liam, the contractual sort of position with Red Bull wouldn’t have worked with me here at Williams, so that didn’t become an option for us in that circumstance. Then it’s a tough choice – it really is – between Mick [and Franco].”

With Vowles making reference to Lawson’s reserve duties for Red Bull and sister team RB, it came down to weighing up Schumacher’s two seasons of experience at Haas against giving the Williams-backed youngster a chance.

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“Mick has improved a lot from where he was in Haas, there’s no doubt about it,” Vowles continued. “He’s a competent driver. I know he had his time, but he has done incredible work with Alpine, Mercedes and McLaren [as test/reserve] in the meantime. If you speak to them, they’ll tell you where he’s adapted and where he’s changed.

“So, now the decision is, do we put Mick in the car? I think Mick would have done a good job. Or do we invest in an individual that’s a part of our academy, that’s done hundreds of thousands of laps in our simulator, that’s driven the car? He’s the only [other] driver to have driven the car this year in FP1.

“On the data that we can see, from what [Colapinto’s] doing and how he’s performing, he’s making significant steps. It becomes a decision: do we invest in the future, or do we invest in someone else as a result of it?

“I think both [Logan and Mick] would fall into a category of good, not special. I think we have to be straightforward about this. Mick isn’t special, he would just have been good. I think he would have come with a lot more experience than Franco does.”

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Vowles then stressed that, in opting for one of their own drivers rather than drivers who have already competed in F1, he hopes to “demonstrate to the world” that his actions are about investing in the future of Williams.

“Here’s what I believe in, what Williams believe in, and what’s at the core values of Williams… Williams have always invested in new generations of drivers and youth,” he said. “What I’ve been speaking about all the way through is the investment in the future of Williams.

“The future of Williams isn’t investing in the past, it’s investing in talent that allows us to move forward as individuals. It’s investing in an academy. When you’re putting that amount of finance into an academy, you’ve got to put your actions where your words are as well.

“Franco’s ahead in the F2 championship of [Mercedes-backed Kimi] Antonelli, he’s ahead of [Ferrari-backed future Haas driver Oliver] Bearman… He’s at MP, and with all due respect to MP, it’s not Prema or ART, and he’s doing a good job and building up.

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“Do I think we’ve put someone really in the deep end of the swimming pool? Absolutely, 100%. But if you listen to Franco’s own words, you’ll hear that he’s ready for it, that he’s ready for the challenge and he knows what’s in front of him.

“I want to demonstrate to the world that investing in a driver that can I hope become a very successful reserve driver for us, simulator driver for us, and other aspects, depending on how he performs, is investing in the future of Williams.”