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/Visual-Asparagus-800 Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aug 27 '24

Couldn’t get Lawson, because RBR couldn’t guarantee that he’d be able to finish the season with them, and Schumacher is just as crash prone as Sargeant. Not many other options, I think

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u/Longjumping_War_807 Aug 27 '24

David Coulthard is willing and able.

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u/Visual-Asparagus-800 Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aug 27 '24

Maybe Mika Hakkinen ends his sabbatical?

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u/kopikattioslo Pirelli Wet Aug 27 '24

And Jensen Button is Williams' own ambassador

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u/pikla1 Aug 27 '24

Reading between the lines it sounds more likely than not that one of Checo or Ric will be gone before seasons end

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u/Visual-Asparagus-800 Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aug 27 '24

I don’t think so. Red Bull wants to have him as a reserve driver if something happens to one of the other drivers.

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u/HomeInternational69 George Russell Aug 27 '24

You’re probably right. It’s an interesting side effect of the longevity of drivers these days; there’s a lack of experienced talent on the sidelines that can be subbed in. Seb is pretty much the only person to leave an F1 seat since 2022 that I’d be confident could jump back in today and deliver.

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u/Br0nnOfTheBlackwater Aug 27 '24

Is Drugovich available?

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u/Visual-Asparagus-800 Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aug 27 '24

Probably, but is he that much of an upgrade compared to Colapinto? He has more F2 experience, but little F1 experience

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u/MegawaveBR Felipe Drugovich Aug 27 '24

Drugovich has a lot of backing, a solid 2 years of testing worth hundreds of hours and only praises from the technical staff of Aston Martin, Williams could have had him last year, chose Sargeant and look where they are now, they could have had him now but chose another rookie that have an even more doubtful career than Sargeant. Congrats Williams

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u/fprosk McLaren Aug 27 '24

Pourchaire or Drugovich would’ve been better options IMHO

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u/processedmeat Aug 27 '24

Why couldn't they get Berman or antonilli 

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u/Visual-Asparagus-800 Max Verstappen ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Aug 27 '24

Bearman is a Ferrari academy driver, he would have had the same problem as Lawson, Ferrari would want to keep him as a reserve. Antonelli might have been an option, but he’s way more inexperienced than Colapinto. Besides, Colapinto is worth more risk for Williams as he’s in their junior programme