Franco Colapinto burst onto the scene as a replacement for Logan Sargeant in mid-2024 and quickly turned a lot of heads with his performances. The former Williams driver even got linked to some F1 teams, but with interest fading away and his time being up, Colapinto has to look elsewhere to continue his journey next year.
The only team left to confirm a seat for 2025 is RB, Red Bull’s parent team. But they would ideally go for a Red Bull junior, with the likes of Liam Lawson, Isack Hadjar, and Ayumu Iwasa being on their shortlist. There were murmurs of Colapinto being considered, but they have since died out.
There’s very little chance for Colapinto to remain in F1 and going by his social media activity, he already has other plans in motion. The 21-year-old has followed the official account of IndyCar, and his agents have shown interest in Le Mans, as pointed out by @f1gossipofficial, an account that keeps tabs on drivers’ off-track activities.
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IndyCar would certainly be a new world for Colapinto, but he has experience in the Le Mans series. He previously competed in the LMP2 category of the FIA World Endurance Championship, and also the European and Asian Le Mans.
However, Indy would likely be a better way for Colapinto to stay in the limelight. This season, the Argentine’s popularity in the US was on full display when fans nearly mobbed him at the race in Austin. Until an opportunity arises in F1, he could gain some valuable experience in the United States.
Chances of Colapinto remaining in F1
It’s unlikely, but Colapinto could still sneak his way onto the grid. It would take a miracle for Red Bull—his only bet—to consider him though. If Red Bull decides to promote Lawson or Yuki Tsunoda to the main team, they would likely be seeking a replacement for their sister team, RB.
Colapinto’s experience could become a key factor in that decision. While he’s still a raw talent, he has competed in seven more races than Hadjar and Iwasa, both of whom are currently in F2. At the same time, Red Bull would prioritize grooming their own academy talents over signing someone from Williams.
In that regard, Hadjar would be the preferred option since he had a stellar F2 season and narrowly lost out on the Championship to Gabriel Bortoleto (22.5 points). Realistically, Colapinto’s best bet for getting into F1 would be in 2026 when General Motors will field its own team, which will open up two more spots.
