‘Uncle’ James Vowles Pens Heartfelt Parting Letter as Franco Colapinto Makes Alpine Switch

In his short stint with Williams’ Driver Academy, Franco Colapinto has turned out to be a handy young talent who served the team well. When team principal James Vowles found himself in a difficult situation, searching for a suitable replacement for Logan Sargeant, Colapinto emerged as a strong backup.

Unfortunately, Williams could not offer him a seat for 2025 owing to their commitment to Carlos Sainz. As a result, Colapinto was left with no choice but to look for a seat elsewhere. That opportunity has emerged at Alpine.

The Argentine driver may have signed with the Enstone-based team as their reserve and development driver, but his chances of landing a full-time seat with them in 2025 are far better than at Williams.

Vowles, who always supported Colapinto in his bid to land a full-time drive, has readily released the 21-year-old. However, the parting would be an emotional one given how close they got during the 2024 season. The Williams boss let those feelings known in his Instagram post bidding goodbye to his driver of nine races.

“Muchos Gracias, Franco.​ It has been a pleasure watching you grow and develop, not only as a driver, but as a person. From joining our Driver Academy in 2023 to rounding out the 2024 season as a multiple point-scoring Formula 1 driver. I can’t wait to watch you continue to shine. ​All the best, Tio James,” wrote Vowles.

 

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‘Tio’, Spanish for ‘Uncle’, is a loving title Vowles has earned among Colapinto’s Argentine fans. Vowles acknowledged the nickname in a recent video with the team where he read and replied to fans’ comments. “I’ve been hearing from my team that I’ve gained a nickname which is ‘Uncle James’ or in Spanish, ‘Tio James’,” he revealed.

How Colapinto’s chances of a full-time seat stack up

Given their status in seniority, it is highly unlikely Williams would sack Sainz or Alex Albon mid-season. The same cannot be said for Jack Doohan at Alpine, who is only starting his career as a full-time driver in 2025.

Rumors suggested the Australian was to lose his seat to Colapinto even before the start of the season. However, Flavio Briatore set the record straight, promising to start the season with Doohan and Pierre Gasly. The commitment came with an asterisk, though.

Briatore made it clear that Doohan will have to prove his worth behind the wheel to retain his seat. At the same time, he also expressed his willingness to get Colapinto on board.

Given the Argentine’s new role on the team, the intention behind the move is clear. Either Doohan sets the bar rolling right from the word go, or he loses his place to Colapinto, who’d be lurking in anticipation.