Does Argentina’s new Formula 1 superstar Franco Colapinto have a chance of keeping his seat in the 2025 season? Possibly, but it largely depends on the decisions of two men: Mattia Binotto and Christian Horner.
Binotto, chief technical officer (CTO) of Team Sauber, has a seat available but is still uncertain about the type of driver he wants.
He might opt for someone with experience, like Valtteri Bottas or reserve driver Theo Pourchaire, or perhaps even a rising talent like Gabriel Bortoletto, the Brazilian driver currently competing for the Formula 2 championship who is part of the McLaren Academy.
And then there’s Colapinto, the Argentine driver who excelled in Williams F2 and currently drives in F1.
Recently, Mercedes development driver Mick Schumacher, son of the legendary Michael Schumacher, was brought into the discussion after his mother Corinna expressed frustration with the F1 paddock — especially with Williams Team Principal James Vowles — for choosing Colapinto to replace Logan Sargeant instead of her son.
The Schumacher family, with their considerable influence in F1, may use all their connections to secure a seat for Mick in the 2025 season.
Another team with an open seat is Red Bull Racing. They are testing Liam Lawson, a driver from their own academy whose contract ends in December 2024.
Horner, the team’s principal, has also mentioned Colapinto as a promising driver to consider in the future.
If current drivers Sergio Pérez or Max Verstappen were to leave Red Bull, Lawson could also step up, leaving an opening at AlphaTauri for Colapinto to replace Yuki Tsunoda.
In the meantime, Colapinto’s management team – including María Catarineu, Jamie Campbell-Walter, as well as Wiliams team principal James Vowles – is actively working to secure his place in F1 for 2025.
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