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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | We have a problem on our side to power up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | And try again, please. Try power up. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | It’s not, err… So five minutes then to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | No… No, it’s not working… [The car fires up] Oh! There you go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, Franco, follow the instructions from the guys, I need to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Copy, copy that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, Franco, I think we’re back under control. I’ll let you know. The number before the last fire update is at 90 seconds. You will need to have pit limiter ‘off’ and only switch it ‘on’ after the last power up. So taking care it should be ‘off’ now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Yeah, can I have an umbrella or something? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | You will have an umbrella soon, yes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
| Jego | So that’s two minutes 30. Tyres, cars around you, majority is on hard. There’s only Zhou, P20 behind, on medium. Gasly P14 ahead on medium. The other cars around you are on hard. Otherwise for the grid there’s a majority of medium. Back of the grid is more hard starters and at the front of the grid the only hard are Perez and Verstappen. So the majority are on hard around you apart from Zhou. If you have any other interference with people on medium, I’ll let you know. Remember, you might be in a different management race than the people on hard for the tyres. The focus is to manage your tyres, same for the li-co [lift-and-coast], and the management in sector two we discussed. |
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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto is up to 17th having passed Stroll Okay, some additional feedback. Hulkenberg ahead on medium. Stroll, Bottas behind on hards. |
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| Lap: 3/53 COL: 1’26.578 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Get ahead: 0.6. Gap behind: 0.4. Try to stay in the DRS train and manage these tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Hulkenberg [has] potential front wing damage. Gap behind: 0.7. Ahead, Hulkenberg 0.6. You’re doing good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 6/53 COL: 1’26.057 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, 48 to go. Gap ahead: 0.3 behind… 0.6 – Hulkenberg just pitted, so Ocon: 2.2. You lost DRS, might be vulnerable to Stroll. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Stroll is withing DRS range Blue ’11’, position ‘3’, please. Blue ’11’, position ‘3’. Pure performance. |
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| Jego | So Ocon ahead lapping ‘26.6. Gap currently two seconds. Stroll 0.6 behind. You’re doing good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 7/53 COL: 1’27.204 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto has to catch two slides through the final corner Okay, watch out for Stroll: 0.2. Unsafe. You’ll have to defend turn one – ‘overtake’ available. |
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| Jego | Stroll passes him in the DRS zone on the pit straight Okay. That’s fine. Just stay with Stroll. You have an opportunity. Just use his DRS to manage your tyres. |
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| Colapinto | Can you help me to close a little? I’m losing the rear. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Green ’10’, position ‘7’. Green ’10’, position ‘7’. Need to work on exit slip. Exit slip. Turn two, priority. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 8/53 COL: 1’26.385 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, seven laps. Diff exit ‘9’, to help the entries. Diff exit ‘9’, please. And just manage your tyre. Control the slip. Use the DRS from Stroll to keep the pace. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Driving-wise, some feedback: turn 11 [Alboreto] exit to improve. And on previous lap, you braked too late, so too deep. Focus on not braking too late, turn 11, improve exit. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 13/53 COL: 1’26.410 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, happy with this management, turns six, seven. We need to make sure we have good management, exit slip, turn two, turn five. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Keep doing what you’re doing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 14/53 COL: 1’26.930 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | We’ve done 14 laps. Fourteen laps. Still on Plan A. Can I have green ‘3’, position ‘2’, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 15/53 COL: 1’26.672 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Thirty-nine to go. Bottas – 0.8 behind – is now within DRS range. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Bottas: 1.2. Bottas is especially strong in turn 11 – he’s catching quite a lot on you. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | You’re doing good. Bottas: 1.1. Solid stint so far – keep doing what you’re doing. Try to improve exit of turn 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | I need less flap. One turn down, for the stop. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto approaches Alboreto Box, box. Box, box. Watch the white line – pit limiter. |
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| Lap: 17/53 COL: 1’46.349 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto enters pit lane Okay, copy pit lane. Remember, take it easy on entry. It’s a live stop. Set your tool switch to ‘D-1’. Foot on brake. Foot on brake. Watch the light. |
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| Jego | Colapinto leaves his pit box Okay, mode ‘5’. Use ‘overtake’ on pit exit! Racing. You are racing for position. ‘Overtake’ on pit exit. |
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| Jego | Late ‘overtake’ turn four. Defending to Hulkenberg, turn four. Then you have an advantage on rubber – he’s older tyres: 11 laps. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Tyre advantage to Hulkenberg is one second. So you should have the pace. He’ll struggle to be a danger for you. So just do what we discussed about the tyres. Give us feedback. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 18/53 COL: 1’24.485 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Hulkenberg closes Hulkenberg: 0.5. Hulkenberg: 0.5. You might be just unsafe so be ready to defend. |
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| Jego | Colapinto avoids being overtaken Okay, you’re doing good, mate. |
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“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Important information: Stroll will have to stop again, he is on a two-stop. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 23/53 COL: 1’24.649 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | I’ll give you the feedback. Stroll behind: 1.2. Thirty-one to go. Alonso, Hulkenberg, Stroll, we think, on a two stop. Bottas yet to pit ahead of us. Ricciardo with a penalty. You’re P16. So I think we playing for P12, P13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Stroll: 1.2. Tyre management, we think, is good and pace is good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/53 COL: 1’24.916 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, you’re doing really good. Twenty-nine to go. Can I have just a bit more management in six and seven. Just a touch. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Yeah copy that. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Let’s try to move brake balance 0.5 forward to help the rears. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | I don’t want my brake balance forward. I feel what Alex also saw yesterday: once the brakes are hot they slip too much. I need more migration. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Okay, we’re happy to keep brake balance where it is. Pace is good. We’ll see where we are. This is good, mate. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Let’s go for Bottas. Big tyre advantage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 31/53 COL: 1’25.586 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, mode ‘7’. Mode ‘7’. Try to charge the pack and go for him with an overtake, if you can, into turn one next lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto exits Ascari Let’s go for Bottas. Work that exit and early ‘overtake’ out from 11. Let’s go for him. You have the tyres. |
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| Lap: 32/53 COL: 1’25.433 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto has a slipstream down the pit straight Late ‘overtake’. Late ‘overtake.’ |
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| Jego | Colapinto passes the Sauber into the first chicane Okay mode ‘5’. Mode ‘5’. Stroll: 0.5. Remember, he’s racing on his own two-stop. Twenty-one to go. So we pushed to pass Bottas. Let’s get everything back under control. Focus on rear-left. |
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“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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, 16 to go. The first car behind you: Alonso. You’re currently P11. He’s on fresher hards. Gap: six. I’ll let you know when he’s closer. For the moment, do your thing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/53 COL: 1’25.128 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | That’s 15 to go. Doing good. Alonso: five behind. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | My left-front is fully open. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, copy that. That’s 14 to go. We have to keep our tyres to the end. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Cars ahead: Ricciardo has a penalty. Currently racing Alonso, four behind, for P11. Just keep doing what you’re doing, okay? Consistent laps. No mistake. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/53 COL: 1’24.801 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | The key bit is Ricciardo ahead. Gap: 4.7. He has a ten second penalty. So you’re racing Ricciardo ahead with a gap and also Alonso behind for position. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | And Alonso: 1.6. Keep doing what you’re doing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/53 COL: 1’24.620 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | That’s 12 to go. Twelve to go. Alonso: 1.4. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, happy to increase pace in high-speed for front-tyre temp. Alonso: 0.9, within DRS. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Mode ’13’. Mode ’13’. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/53 COL: 1’25.979 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | And late ‘overtake’ into one. Alonso: 0.4 – defending from him. Late ‘overtake’ into one, try not to pick up dirt on your tyres. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Alonso passes him at Rettifilo Let’s go mode ‘6’, mode ‘6’ and try to use the slipstream to recharge the pack. Lap time target: high ’24. You’re doing great, ten to go. |
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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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay, we have two to go. Doing really good. You should be safe from Leclerc, who is on his last lap. You have two laps to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Okay. Can I have mode ‘5’. Mode ‘5’. You’re opening your last lap. Early ‘overtake’, exit turn 11. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 53/53 COL: 1’23.728 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Early ‘overtake’, exit seven. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | And push and hold exit turn 11 to take the flag. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Colapinto takes the chequered flag Okay, taking the flag. Okay. Good job, good job. P12. P12. So mode ’14’, pick up rubber, please. Mode ’14’. Go ‘race’. Okay. That’s a very solid – yes, very solid – race. Blue ‘1’, position ’12’, please. Blue ‘1’, position ’12’. |
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| Vowles | Franco, that is a fantastic first race. You really didn’t put a foot wrong. You finished a few seconds behind Alex. I think.. you know.. let’s reflect on this weekend. You had pace in qualifying. If you keep it clean, you’re there and you’re able to fight. Well done. This is your first race and I can’t wait to see how we build together. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Thank you, James. Thank you for this opportunity. I really enjoyed it. I really, really enjoyed this weekend. A lot of new things. But, yeah, building on very good with the team. Thank you, Gaetan. You’ve been very, very helpful, mate. I learned loads this weekend. Thank you for all the info and thank you for helping me all this race to keep it clean. Thank you. Let’s focus on the next one now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | My pleasure, my pleasure. So remember, slow in. Pick up rubber. And you’re going to go back to the pit lane and the parc ferme. When you’re back in the pit lane, switch off fully, the car, and you jump out, steering wheel back on and go weigh yourself first thing, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Yeah, copy mate. You were right, I was going to pain after this race. Ugh… I’ve never had so much pain in race car before! We need to do a few things in the seat. But I really enjoyed it. Thank you so much. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | I’m sure we can find some fix. And your body will get used to that. It’s quick cars, these, now. Welcome to Formula 1… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Yeah, yeah. Sure we can. Let me know everything I have to do when I stop the car in parc ferme. ‘Cause I have no idea… | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | Yes, I’ll remind you. I’ll remind you, don’t worry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Colapinto arrives in parc ferme Copy that. Should I go to P-0, or P-100? |
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| Jego | P-0, to switch off fully. P-0, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colapinto | Copy. I’m in P-1. I wait a few seconds, no? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jego | P-0, to switch off fully. P-0, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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