Franco Colapinto has taken the Formula 1 world by storm ever since joining the grid as a mid-season replacement for Logan Sargeant at Williams. In just five Grands Prix Colapinto has finished in the points in two of them, and his worst finishes are a pair of P12, one in his debut at the Italian Grand Prix, the other last week in Mexico City.
Now, one of the sport’s living legends is singing his praises.
Colapinto and Lewis Hamilton were part of the first group of drivers speaking at the FIA Press Conferences ahead of this weekend’s São Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil. With Colapinto’s star on the rise, and speculation mounting that he could find a seat on the grid for next season, Hamilton was asked his impressions of the young driver.
The seven-time champion was effusive with his praise.
“Well, I think he’s done an incredible job, I think, to, last minute, be called upon and thrown into the deep end in this sport. The majority of us, if we’re lucky to get in the sport, we have a bit of a run-up, if you look at, for example, young Kimi [Antonelli, who will replace Hamilton at Mercedes next year when he moves to Ferrari], for example, he’s got a lot of test days before his first race,” began Hamilton. “I think he will have over 20 days or something in the car, which is unprecedented. And as for this guy here, he didn’t have that.
“So he just jumped straight in and he did a fantastic job.
“And it was really great to, as I said in the race, it’s always great to see young people and young talented individuals get the opportunity to come through and shine. And I think he did that in the first race. We had a great little battle and it was super safe. It was hard but fair.”
Hamilton then made his own pitch for Colapinto to earn a full-time seat on the grid.
“And I think he’s earned his right to be here. There still is a seat available. And he’s saying it’s not for him to decide,” continued Hamilton. “My advice would be to make sure that it is. I’d be pushing on my side to make sure I was doing absolutely everything… and at the end of the day he’s got to just focus continue to focus on doing his job every weekend as he is.
“Hopefully he’s got good people behind him who are doing the right job to make sure that he’s here racing next year.”
There are still four race weekends left for Colapinto and Hamilton to have hard but fair battles on the track, at least this season.
As for next season? Time will tell.