Currently fifth in the Formula 2 championship, Franco Colapinto will be at the wheel of one of the two Williams cars on Friday morning. The 21-year-old Argentinian will make his Grand Prix debut in the first free practice session at Silverstone, where he will slip into the cockpit of Logan Sargeant’s car, before the American takes his place in FP2 and for the rest of the weekend.
A member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy, Franco Colapinto won the sprint race at Imola in May and finished second in the last two main races, in Barcelona and at the Red Bull Ring. The English team is looking to reward him for these great performances, while each regular driver must give up his seat to a rookie at least once during the season during a free practice session.
“Franco has had a very encouraging start to the F2 season and we are delighted to reward him for his performances over the last two years with this first FP1 session”announces Sven Smeets, sporting director of Williams. “We are proud of our talented group of drivers within the Williams Racing Driver Academy and it is important to us that we give them the opportunity to progress and have those vital opportunities to move up the ranks.”
Franco Colapinto has moved to F2 this year after spending two seasons in F3, finishing fourth in the championship last year. He also competed in endurance racing in 2021, in the ELMS championship, and he tested an F1 car for the first time last winter, driving the Williams FW45 during the end-of-season tests in Abu Dhabi.
“I feel so many emotions”confides the young pilot. “I’m delighted and this is a very important moment in my life and in my career. I will be prepared as best as I can. I will do a lot of laps in the simulator and study the details necessary to drive this year’s car. I’m really looking forward to seeing it after driving last year’s in Abu Dhabi. To be able to do it at a circuit like Silverstone is a privilege, it’s one of my favorite circuits and it’s the race to do. home of the stable, so that means a lot.”
