Franco Colapinto reacts to Carlos Sainz move with Williams door already shut

Franco Colapinto has said Carlos Sainz will help take Williams forward as the Argentine keeps Sainz’s seat warm for the rest of the season.

The 21-year-old was the surprise replacement of Logan Sargeant following the Dutch Grand Prix but, with Sainz already being confirmed as joining Alex Albon at the team next year, Colapinto is determined to make the most of his opportunity.

Franco Colapinto speaks of Williams move and Carlos Sainz arrival

Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo

The Argentine took two races to outscore Sargeant and his tally of four points has moved him to 19th in the 22-man standings.

“The truth is that it was a moment for me,” Colapinto told DAZN of his F1 debut. It’s what I’ve been working for for many years since I started karting and it’s my dream.

It was a little bit what motivated me to race cars and move to Europe when I was still very young at the age of 14.

“I made many sacrifices and lived through many complicated moments that made me consider returning to Argentina and leaving Europe, but I think that in the end the magic is in having overcome those moments and having had the calm, the ability and a group of people around who accompanied me.”

Colapinto also praised James Vowles who made the call to ignore the likes of Mick Schumacher and put an untested rookie in the car.

“The truth is that the opportunity and the trust that James [Vowles] put in putting me in that seat is something I admire a lot,” Colapinto said. He took a gamble, really. It’s very difficult to change drivers in the middle of the season.

“All I want to prove is that he made the right choice. In Monza everyone was very happy, it was a very positive race.”

As for his future replacement, Colapinto believes that Sainz and Albon is a duo that can propel Williams up the grid.

“Carlos is a very good driver, I admire him a lot and his father too,” he said. “They are a family with good genes because they are all very good at what they do. Carlos is a great driver and he got to where he is with a lot of effort.

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“It was also very difficult for him. He is representing his country very well. He is going to have a very positive year with Alex I think. They are two great drivers at Williams and they are going to take the team forward so I hope he does very well”.

Another Spaniard Colapinto spoke of is Fernando Alonso who he battled with in Baku. Unsurprisingly, Colpainto said Alonso will “leave a very big legacy in F1 history.”

“Fernando is great. I grew up watching F1 with him,” Colapinto, who was born in the year Alonso made his debut with Renault. “I wasn’t even born and he was already racing in F1.

“For me he’s a driver who is going to leave a very big legacy in F1 history and I’m proud that he supported me from a young age. Growing up in his Formula 4 team was also very nice. He is a driver I admire a lot and I try to learn from him race by race.”

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