“I Don’t Have Seat for Next Year”: Franco Colapinto Denies Red Bull Links

Franco Colapinto’s dramatic entry in Formula 1 has definitely aroused some interest. He was rumored to be in talks with Red Bull for a seat at RB. The report by Sky Italia claimed, “The offer is there, in Milton Keynes, they can offer him a seat.”

But Colapinto denies such rumors. When asked by F1 presenter Laura Winter about the Red Bull rumors, Colapinto replies, “No, at the moment, I don’t understand much what they’re talking about, from where they came from. I don’t have a seat for next year.”

This also means Colapinto is also denying joining Audi as he was also linked with them. The Argentine race driver is apparently looking for a return to F1 in 2026 or 2027.

This decision could have stemmed from Colapinto wanting to stay with Williams as a move to either RB or Audi could only come after severing ties with the Grove-based outfit, who have helped him develop. Colapinto also stated that he would want to prove himself in F2 and come back.

Colapinto’s ad-hoc entry in F1 has most certainly proved that he is ready for the same. In just five GPs, he has managed to secure five points, while his predecessor had zero in 16 races.

So, every point should be a luxury for Williams. His decision to be on the sidelines could be a brilliant decision in hindsight with a multiple race winner Carlos Sainz stepping in.

Colapinto’s promotion depends on Alex Albon’s form

Albon for the majority of his time at Williams had an upper hand over his teammates. However, all of them have been questioned about their spot in F1. Only Colapinto has managed to share the road with Albon, and in the last three races, the Argentine has statistically performed better than the Thai driver.

So, with Sainz coming in, Albon will have an even more competitive teammate. Meaning, Albon might stand a test instead of his former teammates this time.

If Albon loses the battle to Sainz by a considerable margin, then Colapinto might get the call. In that regard, Colapinto has a fair timeline for himself. But as things stand, it would be a good news for Gabriel Bortoleto and Valtteri Bottas, who might be the only remaining members vying for the Audi seat.

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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