Franco Colapinto

Franco Alejandro Colapinto was born on 27 May 2003 in Pilar, Buenos Aires, Argentina. He began his journey into competitive motorsport at the age of nine when he started kart racing, quickly establishing himself as a talent to watch by winning several regional and national karting championships during his formative years.

After nine years of karting success, Colapinto graduated to junior formulae in 2018. His breakthrough came in 2019 when he claimed his first major single-seater title, winning the F4 Spanish Championship with Drivex School.

The 2020 season saw Colapinto expand his racing portfolio with strong performances across multiple championships. He secured third-place finishes in both the Formula Renault Eurocup and the Toyota Racing Series, demonstrating his adaptability across different racing environments.

In 2021, Colapinto diversified his experience by entering sportscar racing, competing in the LMP2 class across three major endurance championships - the FIA World Endurance Championship, European Le Mans Series, and Asian Le Mans Series with G-Drive Racing. His endurance racing campaign yielded a third-place finish in the Asian Le Mans Series. Simultaneously, he maintained his single-seater development, competing in Formula Regional European with MP and finishing sixth overall.

Colapinto's progression continued as he moved up to FIA Formula 3 in 2022. After a learning season, he delivered his strongest junior formula performance in 2023, finishing fourth in the championship with MP, which earned him graduation to the premier junior category, FIA Formula 2.

Colapinto's path to Formula One accelerated when he joined the Williams Driver Academy in 2023. His opportunity came sooner than expected when Williams called him up to replace Logan Sargeant for the remainder of the 2024 season, starting with the Italian Grand Prix.

His Formula One debut was historically significant - Colapinto became the first Argentine driver to compete in Formula One since Gastón Mazzacane in 2001, ending a 23-year absence for Argentine representation in the sport's top tier. His interim role was designed to bridge the gap before Carlos Sainz Jr.'s arrival.

Colapinto quickly proved his worth at the highest level, scoring his maiden Formula One points at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He demonstrated consistency by repeating this achievement at the United States Grand Prix, establishing himself as a capable performer in his brief Williams stint.

For 2025, Colapinto transitioned to Alpine, initially joining as a reserve driver. However, his wait for a full-time opportunity was short-lived - after just six Grands Prix, Alpine promoted him to replace Jack Doohan, securing his position as a race driver for BWT Alpine Formula One Team.