Born in 2003, Franco Colapinto is an Argentine driver who replaced Sargeant at Williams and is the first Argentine on the F1 grid since 2001. He started his racing career in karting, won gold at the 2018 Youth Summer Olympics, and later moved through Spanish F4, FIA F3, and FIA F2. Colapinto made his F1 debut at the post-Abu Dhabi test in 2023 and had his first GP weekend at the British Grand Prix in 2024. Now, he continues Argentina’s F1 legacy, following in the footsteps of greats like Juan Manuel Fangio and Carlos Reutemann.
Click here to read the full article by Jake Nichol (racingnews365.com)
Formula 1 is thinking about having a rookie sprint race after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test to help young drivers get more race experience. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali supports this idea, and he believes it will better prepare rookies. There are challenges in making this happen, so it might not be ready for 2024 but could be tried in 2025. "We are reflecting on how to give young people the opportunity during the Yas Marina test to shine and gain experience - not only by driving in the test, but also in a competitive context." He continued, "It would certainly help their training, aimed at making them prepared for the next step."
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Williams opted to replace Logan Sargeant with Franco Colapinto, bypassing Mick Schumacher and Liam Lawson. Sargeant was dropped after a costly crash at Zandvoort, and despite interest from Mercedes and Red Bull, Williams chose Colapinto, a driver from their academy. Schumacher was not considered a leading option, while Lawson was unavailable due to Red Bull's unwillingness to loan him out for the rest of the season. The opportunity for Schumacher and Lawson was closed, with Schumacher missing out on a potential nine-race stint and Lawson remaining with Red Bull.
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Both Nascar and Formula One saw more viewers in the US last weekend. Nascar's second Daytona race had 3.5 million viewers, which is 7% more than last year but less than 2022's 3.93 million. Formula One's Dutch Grand Prix drew one million viewers, up 3% from last year but down from 1.15 million in 2022. Both series improved from last season but did not reach their 2022 numbers, with Formula One showing overall positive growth.
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Ferrari is set to make a bold statement at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza with both speed and style. For this race, they’ve introduced a unique one-off kit featuring Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in sleek black overalls with bright yellow highlights and a carbon fiber-inspired pattern. This dramatic look pays tribute to the skilled artisans at Ferrari who perfect carbon composites. As they race in their new "dark knight" attire, rivals should be wary of the potential surprises and competitive edge Ferrari brings to the track.
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