Photo: Formula Motorsport Ltd
The Alpine Formula 1 team has signed Franco Colapinto on a multi-year deal after reaching an agreement with Williams.
He will be reserve and test driver for Alpine in 2025, alongside Formula 2 graduate Paul Aron and two-time World Endurance champion Ryo Hirakawa, with his role for 2026 yet to be determined but potentially a race seat.
Colapinto became a Williams junior in 2023, and went on to finish fourth in the FIA Formula 3 Championship that year.
He stepped up to F2 for 2024, and after taking a win and two other podiums from the first 10 rounds got a surprise call-up to race for Williams after it sacked Logan Sargeant. From nine grands prix, Colapinto scored twice and came 19th in the standings.
However his performances were not going to earn him a full-time race seat with Williams for 2025, since the team had already signed Carlos Sainz Jr to partner Alex Albon.
But the Argentinian’s results and marketability in F1 made him an attractive prospect to have on the grid, there was soon talk in the paddock that other teams were interested in his services despite also having settled their driver line-ups. Pierre Gasly and the debuting Jack Doohan will race for Alpine in 2025.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Alpine for Franco to join the team on a multi-year arrangement starting in 2025,” said Williams’ team principal James Vowles. “Over nine memorable races with Williams he clearly showed he is deserving of a place in F1 and we always said we would support him to get one.
“Williams has one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid for 2025 and beyond in Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, so we believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco’s best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or ’26.”
Several Argentinian firms entered partnerships with Williams as Colapinto grew F1’s popularity there, and the announcement of his Alpine move has not stated that he is departing the Williams Driver Academy.
“I want to say a big thanks to Williams Racing and the team partners, who supported me from the moment I joined the Academy and gave me the opportunity of becoming a F1 driver,” Colapinto reflected.
“They made my dreams come true and I will always be grateful for that. I’d like to thank the mechanics and all the team members who made a massive effort to put the car on track and give me the opportunity to score points.”
Alpine’s executive advisor Flavio Briatore added: “Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the F1 grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver. We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success.”