Franco Colapinto explains F1 call-up after Williams pull him out of F2 sim

Williams driver Franco Colapinto has opened up on when he was made aware he would be replacing Logan Sargeant from this weekend's Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix.

Williams announced on Tuesday following last weekend’s Dutch GP that it would be parting ways with Sargeant and replacing him with Colapinto for the remainder of the season.

It comes as Sargeant’s form in the Williams failed to improve through the 2024 campaign, with the American wrecking an updated car in a practice crash at Zandvoort.

Williams evaluated several options and eventually chose Formula 2 rookie Colapinto, who makes his debut this weekend at Monza.

Speaking for the first time on his shock promotion, Colapinto told the media at Monza that he was as late as Monday in the simulator preparing for the F2 round when he got the call from Williams.

“For you to imagine, Monday I was in the Formula 2 sim preparing for the race here in Monza with my team, so you can imagine how late it was,” he said.

“I don’t know when they were thinking about but it’s an opportunity that I feel ready for and waiting for for so so long.

“As a young kid I was always dreaming of this coming through and happening, so today to be here speaking to all of you, it’s a pleasure and I am extremely grateful we have got this opportunity.

“It came very late, of course, but although I am ready I was not expecting it, to be honest.

“I cannot explain how happy I am to be here with Williams, they have been very supportive and the opportunity they have given me is insane.”

Colapinto, who took part in FP1 at Silverstone for Williams, says there wasn’t any prior discussions about this opportunity and wasn’t something on his mind this year.

“Well, I am always ready,” he added.

“I have been a driver in the background for them for a while, I did free practice one at Silverstone and they were very happy about the performance and I think I was already in their mind from before.

“Of course, something I was not waiting, I was really focused on Formula 2 and I was trying to do my best possible for the four races I had left and preparing for the team as much as possible.

“I am very sad not to continue with them – they [MP Motorsport] have been my family for so many years, since 2020 we have been racing together, step by step, championship by championship and today I have to leave them.

“You cannot choose when you get to Formula 1 and I came at this time and in this place, which is very special weekend here in Monza. I am super happy, to be honest and very grateful.”

Colapinto says the team has outlined targets for him ahead of his F1 debut, though he didn’t reveal what those were - only what he expects of himself.

“I am a rookie and a rookie in Formula 2 as well, so I am not expecting much,” he notes.

“As I said before, I want to go step by step and focus on myself.

“To be able to be focused on my job and be able to do what the team expects, I am, to be honest, more than sure that I can do it. So I cannot wait to jump in the car tomorrow.”