The wait is over: Franco frankntoto will return to the Formula 1 as titular pilot of Alpine in the armchair that was empty after the exit of Jack Doohan. After the 12 races he faced last season with Williamsthe Argentine pilot is confirmed as the main corridor for the next five major awards.
“Let’s go frank! Franco Colapinto will make the leap to racing pilot for the next five races“, Reported the official account of the team with French roots. The 21 -year -old South American will formally join the 2025 calendar weekend of May 18 that will house the 7th closure with the Italian Grand Prix de Emilia Romagna. So far, Alpine adds seven points thanks to the yields of Pierre Gasly in Baréin (seventh in the main race) and Miami (eighth in the Sprint).
The premiere will take place next Friday, May 16 From 8.30 in the morning (Argentine time) with free practice 1 and the tuning for him will be that same day in FP2 from 12 noon.
While the Saturday 17 It will face a third training (at 7.30), the time of the truth will arrive at 11 in the morning when he goes on track to carry out his first classification under A525. He Sunday May 18from 10 in the morning of Argentina, it will compete in the main race 63 laps in the mythical route of Icola.
Franco ran 12 times officially in Formula 1, reaping 5 points with a Williams. He premiered with a 12th place in Monza, was 8th in Baku, was 11 ° in Singapore, 10 ° in Texas, 12 ° in Mexico and 14 ° in Las Vegas, consuming abandonment in Interlagos, Qatar and Abu Dhabi taking as a parameter the main races. But he also participated in three Sprint: 12 ° in the United States, 12th in San Pablo and 18 ° in Qatar.
In addition to Icola, its presence in Monaco (25/5), Spain (1/06), Canada (06/15) and Austria (06/29) is confirmed. Of those circuits, there is only one that does not know: the Gilles Villeneuve On the island of Notre Dame, Canada. Then there are others in which he never ran in F1, but he knows all his secrets, such as his own in Icola and Catalonia. He also played in minor categories in Monaco, the Red Bull Ring (Austria), where he won with the regional formula in 2021.
Imola It brings good memories since he won in the promotional categories such as the Formula 3 In 2023 and in the Formula 2in 2024, in a key triumph for later promotion as a starter in Williams On September 1, also in Italy, but in Monza. The surpass a Paul Aron In the Chicana de Tamburello that earned him his triumph in the prelude to the maxim, it was decisive for the head of Williams, James Vowles, to give him the chance of replacing Logan Sargeant, who was complicated by his bad performances and breakage due to accidents.
1- GP de Emilia-Romagna: Sunday May 18 at 10.00
2- Monaco GP: Sunday May 25 at 10.00
3- GP of Spain: Sunday June 1 at 10.00
4- Canada GP: Sunday, June 15 at 3:00 p.m.
5- Austrian GP: Sunday June 29 at 10.00
* All schedules are from Argentina
