FRANCO COLAPINTO SHARES FINAL WILLIAMS MESSAGE AHEAD OF ALPINE MOVE

Franco Colapinto has shared a final message to the Williams fans after his move from Grove to Alpine was confirmed on Thursday.

With Carlos Sainz arriving to take his Williams seat, Colapinto has opted to move elsewhere in an effort to get back onto the Formula 1 grid.

Franco Colapinto sends parting message to Williams fans

This time a year ago, the name Franco Colapinto was only really known by those inside the Grove base but his impressive substitute appearance has made him a viable candidate for a number of Formula 1 outfits.

After an interest from Red Bull fizzled out, Alpine have made a move to sign the 21-year-old initially as a reserve driver but before he makes the move, Colapinto shared a final message with Williams fans.

“Hello guys, it’s Franco here,” he said. “I hope you already heard the news, I’m going to be joining Alpine for this 2025 season.

“I just wanted to say a big thanks to Williams, to all the partners, to [those] around who gave me the opportunity of becoming a Formula 1 driver, of making my dream come true, and for making it a reality these nine races.

“So thanks to them, thanks to all the mechanics, to all the team members, everyone who made a massive effort to put the car on track and to give me a chance of scoring points.

“And to the fans who have been so, so supportive: you have been always there for us in the good ones and in the bad ones.

“And you are definitely the best, I hope to see you back soon and I wish you the best in this 2025 season.”

His now former team principal James Vowles wished Colapinto all the best and said he believed it was the driver’s “best chance of securing a race seat in 2025 or 2026.”

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Alpine for Franco to join the team on a multi-year arrangement starting in 2025,” Vowles said. “Over nine memorable races with Williams he clearly showed he is deserving of a place in Formula 1 and we always said we would support him to get one.

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“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.

“The Williams Racing Driver Academy exists to discover and develop the F1 stars of the future which is exactly what it has done in Franco’s case, and builds on our long tradition of giving talented young drivers their break at the top level of motorsport.

“We are proud to have returned Argentina to the F1 grid, want to thank Franco for everything he has brought to the team and look forward to future battles on track.”

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2025-01-10T16:34:05Z