Williams Racing announced that Franco Colapinto will join the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, starting from the Italian Grand Prix. He will race alongside Alex Albon, using car number 43.
Colapinto, a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, is having a strong F2 season with one victory and several podiums. He will be the first Argentine F1 driver in 23 years and the second to race for Williams.
Franco Colapinto expressed his excitement about this unexpected opportunity, having seen the door to F1 close with Carlos Sainz’s entry in 2025 to take the spot he was aiming for:
“It is an honor to make my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of. The team has a fantastic history and a mission to get back to the front, of which I am eager to be a part. Arriving in F1 mid-season means facing a huge learning curve, but I am ready for the challenge and fully focused on working as much as possible with Alex and the team to make it a success.”
James Vowles, Team Principal, explained the reason for the change and welcomed the young driver:
“Replacing a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points for the rest of the season. We have just made a significant update to the car and need to maximize every opportunity to score points in an extremely tight midfield battle.
We also believe in investing in our young drivers at the Williams Racing Driver Academy, and Franco is getting a fantastic opportunity to show what he is capable of in the last nine rounds of the season.”
Vowles took the opportunity to thank Logan Sargeant for his contributions:
“This is undoubtedly incredibly tough for Logan, who has given everything during his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude. Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him in continuing his driving career in the future. I know Franco has great speed and enormous potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1.”