Williams Racing is ready to open the door for their promising Argentine rookie, Franco Colapinto, to potentially join Sauber in Formula One next season. Team boss James Vowles has voiced his strong belief in Colapinto’s capabilities, even suggesting that the team would engage in talks with Sauber about a possible move.
While Sauber, set to become the Audi factory team in 2026, is still undecided on their second driver for next season, several names are in the mix. Vowles, speaking during the Singapore Grand Prix, indicated that he has had preliminary conversations with Sauber’s newly appointed boss Mattia Binotto. The talks, though not directly about Colapinto’s potential move, happened after Colapinto made his F1 debut in Monza, replacing the American Logan Sargeant.
Vowles highlighted Colapinto’s impressive performance alongside Alex Albon, a seasoned driver. He emphasized that from Williams’ perspective, Colapinto is a top-tier talent proving himself in the competitive world of Formula One. While ultimately the decision rests with Sauber for their 2025 and beyond plans, Vowles believes Colapinto would be a valuable asset to any team.
Colapinto, at 21 years old, has garnered admiration for his performance in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he secured an impressive eighth-place finish in only his second race, even outqualifying his experienced teammate, Alex Albon. This achievement contributed significantly to Williams’ climb to eighth in the standings, overtaking Alpine.
Vowles highlighted that despite limited experience in practice sessions, Colapinto consistently delivers impressive results, showcasing his talent. Sauber, currently the only team besides Red Bull’s RB to not have fully confirmed their 2025 lineup, enjoys the luxury of observing Colapinto’s performance in the upcoming races before making a final decision. The season concludes in early December after six remaining races, including three sprint events.
Vowles believes Sauber should wait and see how Colapinto performs in the next few races before making a definitive decision. Sauber has several other driver options, including their current lineup of experienced Finn Valtteri Bottas and China’s Zhou Guanyu, as well as Brazilian F2 leader Gabriel Bortoleto, part of McLaren’s driver development program.
On a separate note, while in Singapore, Williams’ commercial adviser, Peter Kenyon, along with Vowles, discussed plans to further promote the sport in Asia. They acknowledged Asia’s increasing importance in the global motorsport landscape and their commitment to playing a key role in its growth. Both expressed confidence that the region will witness more races in the coming years, a trend they believe will benefit teams and the region as a whole. Williams is determined to be at the forefront of this development, recognizing the significant potential of the Asian market.
