Franco Colapinto, fresh off receiving praise from Lewis Hamilton for his impressive drive at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, has reportedly emerged as a contender for the vacant seat at Sauber next season.
Driver praised by Lewis Hamilton could end Valtteri Bottas’ F1 career in new twist
The Argentinian driver was called upon to replace Logan Sargeant after the Dutch Grand Prix and after a steady debut drive in Monza, Colapinto made his mark in Baku. The 21-year-old qualified in the top 10 before securing a P8 finish, aided by a late crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz.
His performance was so impressive that even Hamilton, who finished one spot behind in P9, had to comment. He said: “Oliver [Bearman] did a great job, racing against him… it was tough but fair. And yeah… I don’t remember that kid’s name… for Williams… Colapinto! He did a great job today as well.”
Colapinto now finds himself in an interesting situation. With Alex Albon tied down at Williams long-term and Carlos Sainz joining them over the winter, there is no room at the Grove-based team in 2025. The Pilar-born racer therefore needs a creative solution.
This solution may now have presented itself in the form of Sauber, who are weighing up their second seat for 2025 after signing Nico Hulkenberg to a multi-year deal. Incumbent driver Valtteri Bottas is fighting for a renewal, while Formula Two championship leader Gabriel Bortoleto is also heavily fancied.
Now, Colapinto is reportedly in the mix too. In a conversation with Motorsport.com, team principal James Vowles revealed that he would be willing to let the 21-year-old join the Sauber project in 2025, provided he was given the option to re-sign him for the Williams team.
“Of course he will be with us, but what I really hope is that he will definitely be racing,” Vowles explained. “So I want a position for him where he is racing in 2025 and ideally in Formula One. That means there’s only one team left. We’ll see what we can organise there.”
Should Colapinto get the vacant Sauber seat, it would likely spell the end of Bottas’ time in F1, and would certainly leave him in the wilderness for 2025. If this timeline plays out, the 10-time Grand Prix winner has his sights set on a transition to IndyCar.
“What is certain is that I want to continue competing, as I have done all my life,” he said in Baku. “Plan B would be IndyCar. Try to win the championship there for a few years. But that is not the scenario I am thinking about now.”
