“Overall, I did a good job”

Franco Colapinto competed in his last Formula 1 race during the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The Argentinian is replaced by Carlos Sainz at Williams and was unable, not without the effort of his team principal James Vowles, to find new seat for next season.

Colapinto will have completed nine races in total in the premier category, having been called up to replace Logan Sargeant at Monza. On the occasion of his last appearance at a press conference, the 22-year-old driver looked back on his short but intense participation in F1, not failing to thank the team which allowed him to achieve the objective of almost everything pilot.

“It was very exciting”he said on the Thursday before the race at Yas Marina. “It was my dream come true, you know. Since I started at Monza, I knew that a lot had to happen, that I had to learn a lot and that I had to keep moving forward.”

“You know, you're only as good as your last race. And I think that's how Formula 1 works. Overall, I think I did a good job. I tried to maximize the The opportunity that Williams gave me was an incredible chance and I think it's something that I respect James a lot. [Vowles] a Sven [Smeets, le directeur sportif de Williams, ndlr]everyone on the team, trusted me to give me a seat and give me this opportunity.”

Unfortunately, the end of Colapinto's adventure in F1 was rushed. The driver was forced to abandon the Abu Dhabi event due to damage to his car caused by a collision with Oscar Piastri. The Argentinian nevertheless started the race with a message full of gratitude to his team: “Thank you guys, thank you for all the racing. You made my dream come true.”

When asked if Formula 1 matched the image he had of it before joining the championship, he replied: “I think you can never predict what's going to happen. And even though you've seen Formula 1 for so many years, when you're inside it, it's completely different. Looking back, I I think I enjoyed every moment, that's the most important thing, to be honest, it was a great experience.”

Upon his arrival, Colapinto largely impressed. The Argentinian finished 12th in his first race in Italy after starting from 18th place. A week later, the driver took his car to Q3, qualifying eighth in Baku, a position he would keep the next day when crossing the finish line, scoring his first points at the same time.

Nonetheless, although he initially showed no signs of his rookie status, his lack of experience finally caught up with him late in the season. Mistakes made at the São Paulo and Las Vegas Grand Prix cost Williams dearly, although the race in Brazil was a real ordeal for most of the young drivers on the grid.

Colapinto acknowledges that some of these incidents could have been avoided, but he believes that this difficult period was inevitable for a rookie in Formula 1.

“There are always ups and downs”he admits. “It wasn't going to be easy. The first five races were very, very good. Then I think it was another challenge for Brazil, with the inters for the first time, the first time in an F1 under rain. It was a difficult experience, but, you know, I had to go through those moments, I think, as a beginner.”

“Vegas was pretty tough. I think I made a big mistake trying to get to the last lap of qualifying, trying to get the car into Q3. That's where I look back and think “Some mistakes could have been avoided, but I think looking at the bigger picture and the experience, it's my dream come true.”

Even if the young Argentinian was unable to secure a seat in F1 for next year, it is not impossible to see him back in the discipline in the future, knowing that Colapinto has turned many heads with his performances behind the wheel of the Williams.

However, its near future remains unclear. Asked about his plans for the future, still ahead of the Abu Dhabi race, the 21-year-old replied: “How would I know? It's impossible, it's very difficult to know. There's still one more race to go with Williams. I'm very happy to be back in Abu Dhabi. That's where I I did a few laps last year, after the race, behind the wheel of the Williams for the first time. I can't wait to get back here, where it all began.”