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Early Career: Karting and Formula 4

Franco Colapinto (born 27 May 2003) is an Argentine racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Alpine. A graduate of the Williams Driver Academy, Colapinto rose rapidly through the junior ranks – from karting champion to Formula 3 race winner – before earning a seat in F1. He enjoyed championship success in Spanish Formula 4 and achieved podium finishes in Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Formula 2 on his way to the top tier. In 2025, Colapinto made the jump to Formula 1 by replacing Jack Doohan at Alpine early in the season. Renowned for his tenacious racecraft, steady consistency, and versatility, Colapinto has quickly become a driver to watch in the F1 paddock.

Colapinto first made a name for himself in his homeland’s karting scene. He began racing karts in Argentina at age nine and went on to win multiple national championships, including Argentine karting titles in 2016 and 2018. In 2018, he even represented Argentina in a special karting event at the Youth Olympic Games, emerging victorious in that exhibition race on home soil.

Transitioning to cars as a teenager, Colapinto entered the Spanish Formula 4 series. He debuted in a partial campaign in late 2018 and immediately showed potential by winning on his first weekend in Europe. The following year, driving for the Drivex team, he dominated the Spanish F4 Championship. Colapinto clinched the 2019 F4 title in his rookie full season, amassing 11 race wins and 13 podium finishes to take the crown by a comfortable margin. This early success marked him as one of Argentina’s most promising young talents.

Formula Renault and Sports Cars (2020–2021)

Stepping up internationally, Colapinto tackled dual programs in 2020 to broaden his experience. He joined the Formula Renault Eurocup in Europe with MP Motorsport and also competed in New Zealand’s Toyota Racing Series over the winter. Colapinto adapted well to these higher tiers of junior racing, finishing an impressive third overall in both championships that year. In the Toyota series he earned the top rookie honors, while in Formula Renault he notched two race wins and nine podiums as the highest-placed rookie in the standings.

However, budget constraints influenced his next move. In 2021, rather than immediately progressing to Formula 3, Colapinto temporarily diverted into sports car racing to continue honing his craft. He competed in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (a regional F3-level series) with MP Motorsport, where he scored two wins – both achieved as dominant lights-to-flag “Grand Slams” – and added multiple podiums over the season. At the same time, he proved his adaptability by racing in endurance events. Colapinto took on LMP2 sports car outings in the European Le Mans Series and even entered the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans. This dual program in single-seaters and sports cars broadened Colapinto’s skill set and showcased his versatility before he returned full-time to the formula racing ladder.

Formula 3 Success (2022–2023)

By 2022, Colapinto was back on the traditional path to F1, graduating to the FIA Formula 3 Championship to chase his childhood dream of reaching Formula 1. He debuted with the Van Amersfoort Racing team and immediately made an impact. The Argentine driver grabbed pole position in his first-ever F3 qualifying session and went on to win two races during his rookie campaign. He ultimately finished the 2022 season ninth in the championship – an impressive showing that underscored his raw speed and racecraft against tough international competition.

His strong rookie year earned Colapinto a spot in the Williams Racing Driver Academy and a return to F3 in 2023, now with the title-contending MP Motorsport squad. In his sophomore F3 season, Colapinto delivered on high expectations. He added two more victories (winning sprint races at Silverstone and Monza) and displayed greater week-to-week consistency. By the end of 2023, he had secured fourth overall in the F3 championship – a result that confirmed his progression as one of the series’ top performers. This success in Formula 3 effectively punched Colapinto’s ticket to the next level, earning him promotion to Formula 2 for 2024.

Formula 2 and Williams Debut (2024)

Colapinto moved up to the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2024 with MP Motorsport, taking the penultimate step toward Formula 1. He initially encountered the typical learning curve in F2, but after a few rounds the rookie began to find his footing. A mid-season test in Spain helped unlock more pace from both driver and car. Colapinto soon scored his first F2 victory, winning a sprint race at Imola with a daring last-lap overtake for the lead. He followed that breakthrough with additional podium finishes, including back-to-back runner-up results in feature races in Barcelona and Spielberg, as he became ever more comfortable with the powerful F2 machinery. By the halfway point of the season, Colapinto had climbed to joint-fourth in the F2 standings, showcasing his ability to quickly adapt and excel under pressure.

Colapinto’s rapid ascent did not go unnoticed in the Formula 1 paddock. In mid-2024, Williams tapped the 21-year-old as a potential stand-in for their struggling driver Logan Sargeant. After impressing the team in a Friday practice session at the British Grand Prix, Colapinto was announced as Sargeant’s replacement for the remainder of the F1 season from the Italian Grand Prix onward. In making his grand prix debut at Monza 2024, Colapinto became the first Argentine to start a Formula 1 race since 2001, a moment of huge pride for motorsport fans in Argentina.

Once in the race seat for Williams, Colapinto made the most of his limited run of Grands Prix. He quickly showed he could compete at the highest level. At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku – only his third F1 start – Colapinto drove a clean race to finish eighth, scoring his first Formula 1 points. He added another point to his tally with a tenth-place finish at the United States Grand Prix in Austin later that year. In total he accumulated 5 points over nine races, placing 19th in the 2024 drivers’ championship. Along the way Colapinto’s performances, including that points-scoring form, even sparked brief rumours that Red Bull was eyeing him as a future prospect. His rookie F1 stint was not without adversity – a couple of crashes in the closing rounds (at São Paulo and Las Vegas) reminded everyone that he was still learning at the elite level. Nonetheless, Colapinto had proven he could handle the pressure of Formula 1, combining raw pace with a mature approach in his debut outings.

Promotion to Alpine F1 (2025)

After his promising cameo with Williams, Colapinto was signed by Alpine as a reserve driver for the 2025 season. Initially slated for a year of testing and simulator work, he stayed ready for any opportunity to race. That opportunity came sooner than expected. Following a difficult start to 2025 for Alpine’s rookie Jack Doohan, the team made a bold mid-season driver switch. Six races into the season, Alpine announced that Colapinto would take over the race seat alongside Pierre Gasly from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix onward. The team framed it as a five-race trial “rotation” of the seat, aimed at improving results and evaluating their driver line-up in real time. Colapinto thus found himself rewarded with a full-time F1 drive in only his second year out of the junior categories.

Stepping into the Alpine A525 car in the midst of an ongoing campaign was a stiff challenge, but also a golden chance for Colapinto to cement his place in Formula 1. He had to acclimate quickly to a new team and car dynamics, all while under the spotlight as the first mid-season driver change Alpine had made in years. Colapinto’s prior F1 experience with Williams proved valuable in helping him get up to speed. Throughout his initial races with Alpine, he focused on delivering consistent performances and feedback. While points were hard to come by in the early outings with his new team, Colapinto impressed with his solid race pace and technical input. His mid-season debut with Alpine marked a significant milestone – it was not only a personal achievement for Colapinto, but also a notable moment for Argentine motorsport, putting an Argentine driver in a works F1 team seat for the first time in decades.

Driving Style and Key Traits

Colapinto has garnered praise throughout the paddock for several key attributes in his driving:

• Racecraft: He is an aggressive yet intelligent racer, known for bold overtaking maneuvers and confident wheel-to-wheel battles. In fact, Colapinto’s knack for slicing through the field earned him Formula 1’s official Overtake Award in 2024 for completing the most passes of any driver that season. His racecraft, honed since his karting days, allows him to capitalize on opportunities and duel seasoned competitors without fear.

• Consistency: Across his junior career, Colapinto demonstrated an ability to improve and then consistently deliver strong results. Once he acclimatizes to a category, he tends to become a regular points scorer and podium contender. For example, in Formula 2 he shook off a slow start and went on to record several consecutive podium finishes, including back-to-back second places in feature races. Teams have noted that Colapinto combines speed with a disciplined approach, rarely making unforced errors when under pressure. This growing consistency has been key to his quick rise up the ranks.

• Adaptability: Perhaps Colapinto’s most defining trait is his versatility. He has shown an exceptional ability to adapt to different cars and racing environments. Between 2020 and 2021, he jumped from formula cars to LMP2 sports cars and back without missing a beat. Likewise, he smoothly transitioned into Formula 1 under challenging circumstances – joining Williams mid-season in 2024 as a substitute driver and immediately performing at a competitive level. His impressive nine-race run as a stand-in, which included scoring points in an unfamiliar car, highlighted how quickly Colapinto can get up to speed in new machinery. This adaptability gives his teams confidence that he can handle whatever is thrown at him, from sudden car changes to evolving track conditions.

• Season	Team	Points	Wins	Podiums	Poles	Best Finish
  2024	Williams	5	0	0	0	8th
  2025	Alpine	0	0	0	0	11th