Williams Racing driver Franco Colapinto has an awful lot to prove during the final three races of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix begins the most gruelling triple-header of the year before the drivers can take a well-deserved break over the winter.
The teams then have a week before they’re racing on the other side of the world in Qatar before the season finale in Abu Dhabi.
There’s still plenty at stake for every driver and team in both championships, but for Williams and Franco Colapinto, a response is needed after the previous race in Sao Paulo.
Williams suffered millions of pounds in crash damage during the race in Brazil, with Alex Albon unable to start the race because he had a big shunt in the final part of qualifying.
Colapinto crashed twice that day, but Williams have fixed both cars in time for Las Vegas which will be a relief.
Unfortunately, Williams fell behind Alpine in the championship after they secured two podiums in Brazil.
The team have sunk to 9th in the standings and need to more than double their tally to catch RB ahead of them.
For Colapinto, he still needs to find a seat on the grid for 2025, and in a press conference before the race in Las Vegas, via Ole, he shared the latest information he’s heard about his future.
Franco Colapinto responds to question about his Formula 1 future
Colapinto was asked whether there’s any update on his next steps beyond the end of this campaign and said: “I’m not very informed, my managers take care of all the issues of teams, and contracts.
“I don’t know anything about what the future holds. So far I don’t have much information and I’m not the one who talks, so I don’t have any new information.
“I think Maria [Catarineu, his manager] is the one to tell you how we’re doing.
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“I have a contract with Williams and I’m really looking forward to turning around what happened in Brazil and being in the best possible condition, so I’m really looking forward to racing here, racing in Qatar and Abu Dhabi for the other races of the year and seeing how we finish the season.
“But anyway, the guys in the team deserve good results and then we’ll see.”
Franco Colapinto has one option left to stay in Formula 1 next season
Colapinto knew before he replaced Logan Sargeant at the Italian Grand Prix that his time as a Williams F1 driver was only going to be temporary.
The Argentine is confirmed as the team’s reserve driver for next year when he’s replaced by Carlos Sainz, but getting back into F1 after losing your seat is never easy.
Colapinto has been linked with Red Bull and the only available seat on the grid in 2025 is at the sister RB team.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Liam Lawson is the overwhelming favourite to retain that role, but an opportunity could open up for Colapinto if they part ways with Sergio Perez.
The Mexican has a contract for next year, and Red Bull may have already indicated that Perez is staying with some of their decisions behind the scenes.
However, Colapinto knows that if he puts in three performances in the upcoming races that are impossible to ignore, then it would give Red Bull’s chiefs a difficult decision to make.
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