The emergence of Franco Colapinto is undoubtedly one of F1’s stand-out stories of 2024. The Argentine is capturing attention from across the paddock, including the defending Champions – Red Bull.
Amidst the ongoing speculation, Christian Horner has confirmed that Colapinto is on the team’s radar.
Red Bull investigate the availability of Franco Colapinto
Fairness is not necessarily an inherent part of Formula 1. The possibility of Colapinto not being on next year’s grid, whilst certainly unfair given his strong performances, is a realistic scenario.
As it stands, Sauber are the only team without a confirmed driver line-up for 2025.
This puts the 21-year-old in a very difficult position to earn a full-time contract, especially since Sauber are not necessarily the most attractive prospect at the moment.
However, over the last few days, reports have emerged that Red Bull are interested in Colapinto’s services.
With Sergio Perez struggling to perform, Christian Horner’s team are looking for alternatives.
Although Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda are viable options (at least on paper) the Milton Keynes-based team have reservations about both drivers.
Because of this, Red Bull are branching beyond their academy to look for candidates.
Christian Horner confirms Colapinto talks
With speculation about Colapinto ongoing, Christian Horner has spoken openly about Red Bull’s perspective:
“Colapinto is an interesting driver,” German outlet AMuS quotes him as saying.
“He is surprisingly much better than was suggested in Formula 2.
“I would be a bad team boss if I didn’t find out whether he was available.”
Horner’s comments echo the sentiment of Helmut Marko, who has already described Franco Colapinto as an exciting prospect for the future.
However, securing the 21-year-old’s services is a complex matter. The Argentine already has a multi-year deal with Williams, meaning any contract can only be signed with their go-ahead.
Colapinto himself has downplayed Red Bull or VCARB as realistic 2025 destinations, instead insisting that the putting himself in the best position for 2026 is the priority.
This doesn’t mean that Red Bull are not interested in reaching an agreement.
The Austrian squad’s two most senior personnel have already confirmed he is a target.
Still, several parties must be in agreement for pen to meet paper and a deal to be cemented.
Williams are unlikely to give away Colapinto for free – which is perfectly understandable, given his tremendous speed and immense commercial value.
A loan spell is almost certainly the British team’s preference – which is unlikely to satisfy Red Bull’s immediate needs.
All things considered, the only certainty at this stage is that conversations are taking place intensely behind the scenes.
Though it must be said that Red Bull’s inability to sort out their driver line-up, following months of speculation, is becoming an increasingly pressing matter.
