‘Mega’ young driver could ‘get the nod’ to replace Logan Sargeant if Williams can’t sign Liam Lawson

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After months of speculation surrounding the futures of Sergio Perez and Daniel Ricciardo, it’s another driver on the grid who is suddenly staring down the barrel of their F1 career coming to an end.

Logan Sargeant could only finish 16^th as Williams concluded their 13^th pointless weekend of the 2024 F1 season.

Alex Albon was disqualified after a fantastic qualifying performance and still managed to finish ahead of Sargeant.

However, the big talking point occurred in FP3 when Sargeant ran slightly wide coming out of the iconic banked turn 3 – also known as Hugenholtz Bocht – dipped a wheel onto the wet grass and as soon as that happened the American was no longer in control of his newly-updated car.

His team in the garage couldn’t fix the significant damage in time for qualifying and team principal James Vowles watched the biggest update his team have delivered all season sprawled across the Zandvoort track and partially on fire.

A report from The Mirror has spoken about some of the options available to Williams if they decide a change is needed sooner rather than later.

Mick Schumacher is one name being linked with replacing Sargeant, but Toto Wolff has ruled out Kimi Antonelli abandoning his Mercedes program as he closes in on a 2025 race seat.

Liam Lawson is also in the conversation to join Williams on a short-term loan but if that move isn’t possible – and Red Bull might not want to strengthen one of RB’s rivals – then Vowles’s team may have to look within the team.

Franco Colapinto would therefore be the likely candidate as Williams’s stronger junior driver.

The Argentinian has driven an F1 car already this season and turned some heads with his performance at Silverstone.

READ MORE: Williams driver Logan Sargeant’s life outside F1 from height to Donald Trump ties

Franco Colapinto could be in the conversation to replace Logan Sargeant at Williams

The report from The Mirror mentions that talks with take place over Lawson’s future this week as he emerges as a stronger candidate for the Williams seat.

However, if a loan deal can’t be agreed then Williams may have to promote from within their own ranks in a similar nature to how Sargeant initially earned his F1 race seat.

Colapinto is one of two Williams drivers racing in Formula 2 this year but has outshone Zak O’Sullivan so far this campaign.

They believe Colaptino could ‘get the nod’ should Williams’s other options not become available.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship

Who is Argentinian young driver Franco Colapinto?

Colapinto is 21 years old and was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina but like so many young drivers has spent the majority of his career in Europe.

He won the F4 Spanish Championship in 2019 before campaigns in Formula Renault Eurocup and the European Le Mans Series.

The Argentinian spent two years in Formula 3, finishing 4^th last year before completing the final race weekend of the F2 season with MP Motorsport in 2023 before his first full season this year.

Colapinto currently sits 5^th in the Formula 2 standings, ahead of Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli who are both expected to be on the F1 grid next season.

Journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm, previously speaking on The Race Podcast, described the Argentinian as a ‘mega’ driver and Colapinto really impressed at Silverstone during his FP1 outing.

It says a lot that Colapinto was offered that opportunity ahead of O’Sullivan at his home race and he’ll be hoping that things shake out over the next week to potentially offer him an unexpected chance to race in F1.