Williams team boss James Vowles explained his choice of Franco Colapinto over Mick Schumacher as Logan Sargeant’s successor in clear terms. Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff has responded.
When Logan Sargeant drove off the track on the wet Zandvoort circuit during the third practice session and subsequently flew off, Williams team boss James Vowles was furious. The Briton decided not to let the American drive anymore and many German fans hoped for a chance for Mick Schumacher.
But Vowles decided to use young driver Franco Colapinto, and he justified this choice in clear terms. He did confirm that the German has made progress since his time in the Haas racer.
But the Williams team boss also made it clear: “If we had put Mick in the car, he would have done a good job, no question about it. We think he’s good, but not special. Like Logan Sargeant. For us, the question was: why should we rely on an external driver? Wouldn’t it be better to rely on a driver who has sat in the racing simulator for 100,000 laps with us, who drove free practice for us in England and who we know exactly what he’s capable of?”
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who is well able to assess Schumacher’s abilities because the former Haas driver is a reserve for the star brand’s factory team, told his colleagues at “Sky Sports F1”: “I have known James for many years, he is a strategist. Sometimes he says things a little too directly. He could have refrained from making this statement.”
“Mick has won everything there is to win,” emphasised the Viennese. “He shone in Formula 4, Formula 3 and Formula 2. After that he came into an environment at Haas with team boss Günther Steiner, who is very tough, and that was perhaps not what he needed to develop as a driver. That’s why he deserves a chance. If he doesn’t get it, then no one should comment on him and everyone should live their lives. That’s what I think about it.”
2. Training, Monza
01. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:20,738 min
02. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:20,741
03. Carlos Sainz (L), Ferrari, 1:20.841
04. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, 1:20.858
05. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:20,892
06. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, 1:21,086
07. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, 1:21.140
08. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bulls, 1:21,300
09. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, 1:21,316
10. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, 1:21,363
11. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, 1:21.461
12. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:21.499
13. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:21,592
14. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:21,610
15. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 1:21,678
16. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, 1:21,735
17. Franco Colapinto (RA), Williams, 1:21.784
18. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, 1:21,819
19. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:21,867
20. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, 1:22,223
1. Training, Monza
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:21,676 min
02. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, 1:21,904
03. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, 1:21,917
04. Carlos Sainz (L), Ferrari, 1:22.126
05. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, 1:22.127
06. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, 1:22.199
07. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, 1:22,214
08. Alex Albon (T), Williams, 1:22,220
09. Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, 1:22,311
10. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, 1:22.374
11. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, 1:22.572
12. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS), Racing Bulls, 1:22,605
13. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bulls, 1:22,714
14. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, 1:22,763
15. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, 1:22,854
16. Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, 1:22,864
17. Franco Colapinto (RA), Williams, 1:22.880
18. Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, 1:22,880
19. Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, 1:23.157
20. Kimi Antonelli (I), Mercedes, 1:23,955
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