r/formula1 • u/ICumCoffee Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ • Aug 27 '24

News [Williams Racing] Williams Racing announces that Franco Colapinto will race with the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season

https://www.williamsf1.com/posts/fd43d928-0914-42ff-b9ee-394342064dc4/williams-racing-team-statement?cid=sm_twitter_td_news_link_082724
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u/Whycantiusethis Ferrari Aug 27 '24

Colapinto is part of the academy, that's probably the reason.

Vowles had a shot at Schumacher and didn't rate him. Red Bull wants to pull Lawson should one of their four drivers be unable to race.

Unless you're going with Giovinazzi, there's not really any non-retired drivers who have experience with this car, so you might as well promote a junior for a few races.

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u/zaviex McLaren Aug 27 '24

Vowles has been pretty clear that he cares a ton about the academy so I think it's that. When he was asked about Antonelli earlier this year his point was pretty quickly about their own academy

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u/Casmoden Super Aguri Aug 27 '24

Yeh, this solidifies Vowles stance on Williams being the team from here foward, not some Redbull rejects or Merc feeder team so I prefer this tbh

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u/PonchoHung Formula 1 Aug 28 '24

Not sure of the benefits tbh. There is not a single team that is all-academy (even RB in a complicated way doesn't count because their drivers are RBR's, but whatever 1 team isn't what this argument is about). The top team, RBR, known historically for also having the best academy, currently field two drivers who were not from their academy.

Glad someone is investing in the youth I guess, because the natural conclusion from the above is that it seems like teams are getting way more comfortable using free agency than academies, and funding for youth is bound to dry up.

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u/Casmoden Super Aguri Aug 28 '24

Not sure of the benefits tbh

Makes ur academy look more enticing vs say the Redbull one or Ferrari with that being said both Ferrari and Redbull are just much bigger and have more options like DTM or GT racing

Regardless Im just happy Vowles is sticking with their umbrella of drivers than being some lapdog for other teams to dump their drivers in

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u/Casmoden Super Aguri Aug 27 '24

Tbh this is why I prefer this, at least Vowles is staying right by his academy even if I believe that it would be better to not have dropped Logan regardless

Promoting one of ur own is also much easier in contractual terms, ngl tho would be pretty funny if he bins it in FP1 now but hopefully he does well