Red Bull facing huge compensation demand from Williams for Colapinto
The identity of Yuki Tsunoda’s team-mate at RB for 2025 remains unclear, but after some eye-catching performances, Franco Colapinto has been frequently linked with a move to the Red Bull family.
The Argentine made his F1 debut for Williams at the Italian Grand Prix, and has made a resounding impression, scoring five points across the Azerbaijan and United States Grands Prix.
A move to RB would not therefore be totally illogical, but Colapinto has also been touted as a possible successor to the struggling Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen after just six starts.
Helmut Marko insists that Perez will finish the current season, but Perez’s future at the team for 2025 remains doubtful, with team principal Christian Horner known to be an admirer of what Colapinto has done – but it is not yet clear if he feels F1’s first Argentine since 2001 should be placed at RB or at Red Bull.
But if a deal is struck, it will include a hefty fee, which Williams is demanding.
RacingNews365 understands that Red Bull will have to pay Williams $20 million USD (£15.4 million GBP, €18.3 million), with other F1 teams said to be interested in Colapinto.
Williams is not inclined to let its rising star leave for nothing, but it is unable to offer a race seat for 2025 with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz signed up, but there is understood to be a way for Red Bull to cover the $20 million Williams is seeking.
Colapinto has a vast commercial backing, and there is the possibility of Red Bull covering the amount through Argentine sponsors, having the fee ‘financed’.
Although $20 million USD remains a remarkably high amount for a driver with just six starts to his name, money will not be a stumbling block if Red Bull wants to sign Colapinto, but it is unclear whether it wants to go as high as the $20 million Williams is after.
Where it leaves Perez and other Red Bull juniors
In the arithmetic of signing Colapinto, the breaking of Perez’s two-year contract signed before the Canadian GP must be taken into account.
Red Bull would have to pay a hefty commutation fee, a clause every driver has in their contract, and financially, there would be little ‘profit’ if Colapinto does indeed make the switch.
At this point, it is uncertain if Red Bull will actually bring Colapinto in, with Williams understood to want to include a ‘buy-back clause’ should it sell Colapinto.
As for Red Bull’s existing juniors, Marko has confidence in Isack Hadjar, who is still in contention for the F2 title, and who was tipped as a potential RB driver if Perez was axed from Red Bull and Lawson promoted to partner Verstappen.
Should Colapinto be drafted in, this would mean Hadjar’s progress as a Red Bull junior is halted, with Marko’s backing of Hadjar and Horner’s open flirtation with Colapinto hinting at a difference in opinion between the two key figures.
Given Red Bull’s recent on-track performances, however, the team has other headaches, and the driver plan does not seem to be a priority, with Marko indicating that Perez’s position would not be evaluated until after the Abu Dhabi season finale, where Hadjar is also to be evaluated after the conclusion of the F2 season and the traditional post-season test.
