Bullet Sports Management is delighted to announce that Franco Colapinto will graduate to Formula 1. The 21-year-old Argentinian secured one of the most sought-after race seats in the world.
His remarkable rookie season in F2, including a win and two further podiums, and an impressive F1 Free Practice debut at the 2024 British Grand Prix convinced Williams Racing that Colapinto is the right person to fill their seat for the remaining nine races.
Colapinto, who’s been part of Bullet Sports Management’s talent roster since 2019, will fly the Argentinian flag at the pinnacle of motorsport 23 years after any driver of his nation last competed in Formula 1. Franco’s Williams Racing F1 car will carry his lucky number 43.
The opportunity of a lifetime came out of the blue, in the middle of Franco’s F2 campaign with MP Motorsport. He will race alongside Alex Albon in the remaining nine rounds of the Formula 1 season. This is the realisation of a dream Franco has been chasing ever since he turned the wheel of a kart at the age of 8.
Following a successful climb through the karting ranks, Franco took the European single-seater racing world by storm. He won a race on his first attempt in a Formula 4 car and won the Spanish F4 championship in his rookie season in a dominant manner.
He made his mark in sports cars by taking pole position in his maiden LMP2 qualifying and raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans at only 18 years old, but his main focus has always been on reaching Formula 1. He joined the F1 support paddock in 2022, claiming pole position on his FIA F3 debut and completed an outstanding rookie season, that caught Williams Racing’s attention.
The iconic British Formula 1 team signed Colapinto to their Driver Academy for the 2023 season and the Argentinian has been enjoying their full support ever since throughout his FIA F3 and FIA F2 campaigns. Besides that, he worked closely with the F1 team and got the opportunity to drive Williams Racing’s FW45 at the 2023 Abu Dhabi Young Driver Test and make his F1 Free Practice debut earlier this year at the British Grand Prix.
Franco Colapinto:
“It is a huge honour to get this opportunity to race for Williams Racing in Formula 1. I’ve been chasing this dream since I was a kid and it’s hard to believe that now it has become reality. I’ve been part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy since 2023 which opened the doors to the world of Formula 1 for me in all aspects, I’ve been given amazing opportunities on track and in the sim that all helped me to prepare for this step and even though I didn’t expected it to happen so soon, I feel ready for the challenge. I am beyond excited and happy to start this journey and extremely grateful to everyone who helped me to get here, including Williams Racing, my managers, my sponsors and partners who supported me no matter what and my country who’s been standing by my side as one.”
Jamie Campbell-Walter, Managing Director of Bullet Sports Management:
“It fills us with immense pride to see Franco step up to Formula 1. We’ve been looking after him ever since his early days in Formula 4 and went through several hardships together to be where we are today, however, moments like this make it all worth it. It would be impossible to list all the people, teams and partners who helped us along the way, but we are incredibly grateful to each and every one of them.”
Maria Catarineu, Commercial Director of Bullet Sports Management:
“In 2018 I met a 15-year-old boy from Argentina with a big dream and he immediately captured my heart with his personality. Franco became family over the past six years and watching him achieve this dream is like watching my own children succeed in life. This is a very special moment for all of us and one we will remember for the rest of our lives.”