Franco Colapinto Linked to Red Bull Team for 2025 Seat?
Oct.23 - Another way for Franco Colapinto to stay on the Formula 1 grid in 2025 is emerging.
Recently, Williams boss James Vowles - who has the Argentine rookie firmly under contract but with no race cockpit availability for next year - offered to loan Colapinto to Audi-Sauber for 2025.
It is believed that deal fell through.
But there are rumours that Sergio Perez is set to lose his seat at Red Bull Racing, resulting in a current RB driver filling the void.
Colapinto, 21, is now linked with the Red Bull-owned junior team.
Earlier in October, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko named Colapinto as an example of a young driver who is capable of thriving in Formula 1.
"Oliver Bearman and especially Franco Colapinto have shown this year that youngsters are ready for the step up and that the old philosophy of some team bosses that you can only promote drivers to a top team with three or four years of experience is outdated," he told Speed Week.
Dutch racing personality Tom Coronel hints that he has some behind-the-scenes information about Colapinto's next move in F1.
"He has nothing (for 2025) yet," he told Viaplay.
When told that Audi-Sauber could be an option for Colapinto, Coronel answered simply "No". So when asked if he knows something the public does not know, Coronel added: "Yes".
"But I'm not going to say it. It's true, but I'm not going to say it".
"His manager is my old teammate," Coronel continued, almost certainly referring to former racing driver Jamie Campbell-Walter.
"I have contact with him every now and then," he said. "Suddenly a light went on, because he asked for the phone number of a team boss in Formula 1. I didn't think about it at all at the time, and I'm not going to say who it is, because I keep some things to myself."
Colapinto's cause is being helped by a growing momentum of Argentine commercial backing - like Globant, an Argentine company that is not only a Williams sponsor, but a global sponsor of Formula 1.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says Argentina's growing involvement could help the country return to the Formula 1 race calendar.
"I really hope it comes to fruition," said the Italian. "What they are doing for their country, what Franco is doing, is great for Argentina and the possibility of South America hosting a third grand prix, alongside Mexico and Brazil.
"Hopefully it will happen sooner rather than later," Domenicali added.
Globant CEO Martin Migoya said: "All the stars are aligning. We reached the agreement with Formula 1 and then Franco moved to F1 and for us that is extremely important."
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Even if either Lawson or Tsunoda (more likely the former) were promoted to the main team, Colapinto still wouldn't/isn't going to drive a Red Bull-owned car next year in any case, as Red Bull has options within their organization in Hadjar & Iwasa.
Coronel can't realistically be in the know as a third-party individual, especially for Colapinto's contractual matters, nor is he obligated by any NDA, for that matter, albeit saying something in the first place is pointless unless one is willing to clarify more.
Regarding an Argentine GP return idea, as pointed out before by referencing what I read elsewhere, a return is unviable for the time being in any case, given the country's general economic situation.
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