The Formula 1 grid has been shaken up for the 2025 season, with several established stars missing out on a race seat.
Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez are the headline names who won’t be on the grid next year after all 10 F1 teams confirmed their line-ups for 2025.
However, one driver who popped up this season and quickly turned heads was Franco Colapinto.
Colapinto was called up by Williams for the final nine races of the season after team principal James Vowles decided to replace Logan Sargeant.
The Argentine scored points in Baku and Austin but knew he didn’t have a race seat for next season as WIlliams had already signed Carlos Sainz to join Alex Albon for 2025.
Red Bull and RB were interested in Colapinto but they eventually opted for Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar to be promoted into each of their vacant race seats.
Alpine were keen on Colapinto too, but they handed Jack Doohan an early debut in Abu Dhabi and will stick with the Australian for the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
Juan Pablo Montoya has spoken to Marca and believes Colapinto is in the ‘best position’ to return to F1 next year as he could see Williams swap him in for Albon.
Franco Colapinto could replace Alex Albon in 2025 according to Juan Pablo Montoya
Montoya was asked about the fact that South America has lost two drivers in Colapinto and Perez and replied: “We never had it easy, of course, but yes, I would have let Checo, at least a chance, maybe until the Mexico race, but ok.
“And Colapinto is best off staying at Williams. It’s the best position to have.
“There are rumours of an option at Alpine, but I know that Doohan starts the season and Franco doesn’t start the season… but maybe he’ll finish it.
READ MORE: Williams driver Alex Albon’s life outside F1 with net worth, girlfriend to parents
“Something could come up for him and I insist, the best chance is to stay because I don’t know how Albon will handle the pressure of having someone like Sainz.”
Albon has been Williams’ leading driver for the past three seasons since taking a year about when he lost his seat at Red Bull.
He was far superior to Nicholas Latifi and Sargeant, but Colapinto highlighted that he didn’t have the biggest advantage over a rookie driver and facing Sainz will be a much tougher test.
Franco Colapinto doubts grew towards the end of the 2024 season
Colapinto hit the ground running for Williams as soon as he jumped into the car at Monza.
He also excited fans from his native Argentina and neighbouring Brazil who hadn’t had a driver to support for some time.
Colapinto picked up plenty of sponsorship that made him an even more appealing prospect for teams.
READ MORE: Who is Williams academy driver Franco Colapinto? Everything to know
However, crashes in Brazil and Las Vegas highlighted his rawness and if he continues as Williams’ reserve driver in 2025, the amount of testing he’ll be able to do will be limited.
Helmut Marko wasn’t sure Colapinto was worth the money when Red Bull were linked with bringing him in.
Regardless of those doubts, with so many rookies on the grid next year, if anyone is underperforming, Colapinto will be an exciting alternative.
For Albon – who has two podium finishes to his name in his career – he’ll know that an F1-proven replacement is ready and waiting if he doesn’t match expectations in 2025.
