Formula 1: Franco Colapinto joins Alpine as reserve driver after Williams release
2025-01-09
Category: sports

Argentine Franco Colapinto is to be Alpine's reserve driver this season after signing a multi-year deal to join the team from Williams.The 21-year-old caught the eye of rival teams when he completed nine races for Williams at the end of last season after they dropped American Logan Sargeant.Alpine have negotiated a deal to remove Colapinto from his long-term contract with Williams, where he was a development driver.Williams had no room for him in a race seat this season as they had already signed Carlos Sainz from Ferrari to partner Alex Albon.Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore said: "Clearly, Franco is among the best young talents in motorsport right now. It is fair to say his appearance on the F1 grid last year caught many, me included, by surprise and his performances have been very impressive for a rookie driver."We have an eye on our future and his signing means we have a great pool of young drivers to call upon and work with in developing the team for future success."Colapinto said: "Williams turned my dream of racing in F1 into reality, and I will always be grateful for that. Now, it is time for a new chapter, and to take on this challenge with Alpine is truly an honour."Williams team principal James Vowles said: "Franco clearly showed he is deserving of a place in F1 and we always said we would support him to get one."Williams has one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid for 2025 and beyond in Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, so we believe this agreement with Alpine represents Franco's best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026."Alpine said Colapinto would attend a number of grands prix and share driving duties in the team's programme of testing previous cars with fellow test and reserve drivers Paul Aron and Ryo Hirakawa.
Colapinto made his debut at the Italian Grand Prix in early September and impressed Williams and rival teams with the speed of his adaptation to F1.Interest from a number of Argentine sponsors keen to back Colapinto increased his attractiveness to teams.Red Bull were considering signing him for their second team Racing Bulls in 2025 and had talks with Williams about a release, but their interest cooled after a series of crashes for Colapinto in the Brazilian and Las Vegas races.But Alpine maintained their pursuit and have tempted him away with a long-term deal.The announcement on Thursday made no mention of a potential race seat for Colapinto, but his joining Alpine increases the pressure on their rookie driver Jack Doohan, who they have signed for a race seat in 2025 alongside Pierre Gasly.The Frenchman, who won the 2020 Italian Grand Prix for Red Bull's second team, joined Alpine for 2023 and last year signed a new deal that lasts until at least the end of 2026.Doohan, the son of five-time MotoGP champion Mick Doohan, made his race debut at the final grand prix of 2024 in Abu Dhabi as Alpine sought to optimise his preparations for his debut season.The 21-year-old qualified last and finished 15th, while Gasly was sixth on the grid and seventh in the race. Doohan was nearly 0.5 seconds off Gasly's pace in the first part of qualifying, after which he was knocked out.Signing Colapinto gives Briatore and Oakes an option if Doohan fails to live up to expectations during the season.Japanese Hirakawa's recruitment alongside Estonian Aron, who was third in Formula 2 last year, was announced earlier on Thursday.The 30-year-old, who was a development driver for McLaren last year, will take part in first practice at the Japanese Grand Prix for the team on 4 April.Testing previous cars (TPC) programmes allow teams to run drivers who are not racing in F1 in cars at least two years old, and have become increasingly prevalent among F1's restrictions on testing of current machinery.