How Colapinto impressed Williams on his debut · RaceFans
For the first time since the 2023 Dutch Grand Prix, Formula 1 saw a driver make their grand prix debut last weekend in Monza.
After Williams finally ended the Logan Sargeant experiment after more than a year-and-a-half, they called up junior driver Franco Colapinto to take his place.
But the 21-year-old would not face an easy entry into Formula 1. With Monza being such a strong track for Williams in recent years, the team were relying on their new driver to make progress from the 18th position he had qualified in.
For his first grand prix as well as the eight to follow, Colapinto had Gaetan Jego as his race engineer – inheriting the same engineer that both Sargeant and Nicholas Latifi had in their ears during their time with Williams. Before Colapinto’s first ever F1 start, the team had some apparent problems firing the car up. But the driver himself was more concerned with finding shade from the hot sun.
Colapinto’s Italian Grand Prix radio messages
Jump to:
“No, it’s not working”
“Watch out for Stroll”
“On previous lap, you braked too late”
“You might be just unsafe so be ready”
“You’re doing really good”
“I feel what Alex also saw yesterday”
“Let’s go for Bottas”
“Currently racing Alonso”
“I’ve never had so much pain in race car before”
“No, it’s not working”
Lap: 1/53 COL: 1’35.885 |
Once the car was ready to go, the formation lap was about to begin. Jego gave his driver some last minute words of encouragement to try and settle the nerves before he finally achieved his lifelong dream of becoming a grand prix driver.
When the race started, Colapinto kept it clean and held his position, despite almost hitting Yuki Tsunoda at the Della Roggia chicane. He then had a face full of dirt entering Ascari as Nico Hulkenberg was pushed wide by Daniel Ricciardo ahead of him.
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Lap: 2/53 COL: 1’27.845 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 3/53 COL: 1’26.578 |
“Watch out for Stroll”
The opening laps was calm and uneventful for Colapinto until Hulkenberg clattered into Tsunoda ahead of him at the start of lap five at the first chicane. That allowed him to pass the damaged RB to take 16th place, before gaining 15th when Hulkenberg pitted. However, he was now out of DRS range of the two Alpines ahead, which allowed Stroll to pressure him.
Lap: 5/53 COL: 1’27.151 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 6/53 COL: 1’26.057 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 7/53 COL: 1’27.204 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 8/53 COL: 1’26.385 |
“On previous lap, you braked too late”
Throughout his opening stint, Jego gave his driver regular feedback on his driving and tyre management. Of particular concern was Colapinto’s exit through the final corner of Alboreto – the final corner, previously known as Parabolica – as it led onto the long DRS zone along the main straight and was allowing rivals behind to close on him.
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Lap: 12/53 COL: 1’26.500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 13/53 COL: 1’26.410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 14/53 COL: 1’26.930 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 15/53 COL: 1’26.672 |
“You might be just unsafe so be ready”
It was now time for Colapinto’s first ever F1 racing pit stop. He was called in at the end of lap 17 to switch onto hard tyres. He rejoined in 17th, right in front of Hulkenberg, and immediately had to think about being defensive.
Lap: 16/53 COL: 1’31.193 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 17/53 COL: 1’46.349 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 18/53 COL: 1’24.485 |
“You’re doing really good”
Colapinto rejoined the race on hard tyres. Unlike many of those ahead of him, he was planning to go to the end of the race on a one-stop strategy. Jego reminded him to manage his new tyres and to focus on making “no mistakes”.
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Lap: 22/53 COL: 1’24.852 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 23/53 COL: 1’24.649 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 25/53 COL: 1’24.916 |
“I feel what Alex also saw yesterday”
Although Jego was giving his new driver a lot of advice and suggestions on settings to adjust on his car, Colapinto had the confidence to reject any he disagreed with. When he was asked to adjust his brake balance, he resisted.
Lap: 26/53 COL: 1’24.639 |
“Let’s go for Bottas”
Colapinto joined a short DRS train behind Gasly, eventually overtaking the Alpine at the start of lap 30. He was then encouraged to attack Valtteri Bottas on much older tyres as the Sauber was yet to stop.
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Lap: 30/53 COL: 1’25.412 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 31/53 COL: 1’25.586 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 32/53 COL: 1’25.433 |
“Currently racing Alonso”
With Bottas dispatched, Colapinto came under pressure from Stroll, until the Aston Martin makes his second stop, leaving him in 12th place behind Ricciardo. Fernando Alonso had also pitted just before Stroll and was now right behind Colapinto and closing on the driver whose junior career he had helped to support.
Lap: 38/53 COL: 1’25.194 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 39/53 COL: 1’25.128 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 41/53 COL: 1’24.801 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 42/53 COL: 1’24.620 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 43/53 COL: 1’25.979 |
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“I’ve never had so much pain in race car before”
Having been overtaken by Alonso, Colapinto was now running in the 13th place that he would ultimately finish in. He now had to just manage his tyres and check off the remaining laps, holding a healthy cushion of well more than ten seconds to Esteban Ocon behind him.
Although he did not join team mate Alexander Albon in the points, Colapinto took the chequered flag within a few seconds of Ricciardo ahead, moving him up to 12th in the classification. He gained six places from his starting position on his grand prix debut after a clean race, earning the praise of Jego and Williams team principal James Vowles.
However, Colapinto revealed that his race has not been as comfortable as he would have wanted. He suffered significant pain due to an ill-fitting race seat throughout the 53-lap race, which Jego insisted the team will sort before the next round in Baku.
Lap: 52/53 COL: 1’24.429 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lap: 53/53 COL: 1’23.728 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chequered flag |
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