Franco Colapinto suffered yet another horrific crash at the 2024 Las Vegas GP. The 21-year-old Argentine had a massive meeting with the barriers — estimated to be at least a 50G impact. Naturally, the Williams driver had to be examined immediately by the medical staff at the track. But his situation was dire enough for him to be sent back from the track.
Colapinto told ESPN Latin America that he had suffered a concussion. “I had a concussion, they told me I couldn’t speak with anyone and sent me back to the hotel. It’s true I tell you,” he explained.
In the aftermath of his crash, Williams put out a team statement explaining the gravity of the situation. It was being suggested that Colapinto‘s concussion was severe enough to keep him away from the track on Saturday for the Grand Prix.
Franco Colapinto has revealed he was concussed after his accident in #F1 #LasVegasGP qualifying:
“I had a concussion, they told me I couldn’t speak with anyone and sent me back to the hotel. It’s true I tell you,” he told ESPN Latin America after the race on Saturday. pic.twitter.com/ZCQE815Ix3
— Pit Debrief (@PitDebrief) November 24, 2024
However, the young Argentine soldiered on and arrived to the track on Saturday. Starting from the pit lane, the 21-year-old drove his own race and finished 14th at the chequered flag. Meanwhile, his teammate, Alex Albon was forced to retire from the race after catching some loose debris in his FW46.
Leaving the iconic Vegas track wasn’t the only damper for the Grove-based team. After consecutive crashes in Brazil and Mexico, their Vegas mishap has added yet another million-dollar figure to their repair bills for the season.
Colapinto left James Vowles unhappy after Las Vegas GP crash
For teams like Williams — who operate on a very low budget — crashes like the one they suffered last weekend could be disastrous to their operations. Further, with the cost cap now firmly in place, Albon, Logan Sargeant, and Colapinto’s combined repair bills have seriously affected their developmental plans for 2025 and beyond.
James Vowles told the fans through the team’s social media channels, “His car behind us is being repaired, the chassis is being changed and we’ll make sure it is ready.” Further, he reiterated that Colapinto’s health was the team’s top priority and not the quantum of damage it had caused.
That said, Colapinto himself revealed that Vowles was not a happy man when they met after his crash. However, the former Mercedes man was supportive of the young Argentine racing driver and encouraged him for the Grand Prix on Sunday.
