Toto Wolff highlighted the influence of Franco Colapinto, who changed the teams' perspective regarding the incorporation of young drivers.
Franco Colapinto is undoubtedly the young driver who has had the most impact on Formula 1and managed to find a place to pursue his career there. He will join other young talents who will also make their debut in this premier category. Toto Wolff, the boss of Mercedes, himself highlighted the presence of the Argentinian, evoking a “generational change.”
It was Mercedes who made a bold move by announcing 18-year-old Andrea Kimi Antonelli as the replacement for seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton. This demonstrates their support for the integration of young people into the elite category.
“There will be new regulations in 2026. The teams want to prepare for it. This is why they prefer to train novices next year,” Wolff said. Analyzing the situation, he added: “I think one of the triggers was the start of Oliver Bearman at Ferrari. He took the wheel without preparation, completed a free practice session and found himself in the lead. Then Colapinto also started rolling. Suddenly everyone understood that young people were starting at a very high level,” he explained in an interview with Auto Motor Und Sport, thus answering the question about the generational change expected in 2025.
It is true that Bearman created a surprise by replacing Carlos Sainz at Ferrari at short notice, following appendicitis. That's when Colapinto stepped in at Williams, with remarkable performances in the final nine Grands Prix of 2024, attracting the attention of many teams.
-The young drivers who will mark 2025 in Formula 1
Liam Lawson (Red Bull), Jack Doohan (Alpine), Bearman (Haas), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) and Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), in addition to Antonelli at Mercedes, are those who will make their debut in this elite category. These new incorporations illustrate a clear change in the evaluation strategies of teams for the recruitment of drivers.
Undoubtedly, the majority will seek to follow in the footsteps of Colapinto, who, in his first experience, was able to captivate attention and has already secured his place at Alpine.
Good to know
- Franco Colapinto quickly established himself as a promising talent during pre-season testing.
- Toto Wolff has often stressed the importance of integrating young talents over the long term for the sustainability of teams.
- The 2026 regulations predict significant changes to the competition, which could influence the strategic choices of teams.
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