Franco Colapinto's Manager Opens Up On Red Bull F1 Talks

Franco Colapinto's manager, Maria Catarineu, has shed light on the intriguing talks with Red Bull regarding the Argentinian driver's potential entry into the team.
The discussions involved Colapinto possibly joining as Max Verstappen's teammate for the 2025 Formula 1 season, replacing Sergio Perez. However, as things unfolded, Colapinto eventually found a promising role with Alpine as a reserve and test driver.
Colapinto entered the Formula 1 scene last year when he took over from American driver Logan Sargeant at Williams. During the remainder of the 2024 season, he scored five World Championship points in four races, a stark contrast to Sargeant's single point over a substantially longer run of 36 races.
However, initial success was overshadowed by several late-season crashes during his nine-race stint, ultimately affecting his prospects with Red Bull.
Colapinto's manager Maria Catarineu explained to Corazon de F1, as quoted and translated by Planet F1:
“Clearly, Christian showed an interest in Franco. It could have been for Red Bull as Max’s team-mate, or for the second Red Bull team. There were other teams too.
“But Christian wanted to know what the situation is with Williams and have a chat with James.
“Eventually, the Red Bull route, for different reasons, could not be. First, because Red Bull has many parts, it has a very powerful academy with drivers who were already waiting and, well, it didn’t work out.”
Despite the missed opportunity with Red Bull, Alpine saw promise in Colapinto’s skills around the same time. Catarineu acknowledged Alpine's interest, commenting that it emerged “more or less at the same time as Red Bull” during Colapinto's 2024 campaign.
Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore played a key role in these negotiations, eventually securing Colapinto for Alpine’s roster by reportedly paying $20 million to Williams for a five-year loan.
Catarineu added:
“But Flavio said ‘I want him, and I want him like this and like this’. But it was very complicated because there is Franco as a driver, his management company, there is Williams as Franco’s team, there are the interested other teams’
“But that’s where it started. And Flavio never lost his interest.”
Colapinto is now set to become Alpine’s reserve and test driver, with responsibilities that include simulator work and participation in the TPC program.
There is already speculation about his potential promotion to replace Jack Doohan, should the Australian driver not meet the high expectations of the team.
Catarineu also noted that Colapinto is very satisfied with the result. She concluded:
“He is super, super happy. You have to realise that just a few months ago we didn’t know if we were ever going to be in Formula 1. And then the nine races with Williams happened.
“But then again there was uncertainty and his anguish, because there is no place at Williams. And now he is happy. Very happy.”
Commenting on his upcoming move to Alpine, Colapinto explained:
“I am super excited to have the opportunity to join BWT Alpine Formula One Team.
“First of all, I want to say thank you to Williams for all their support from the moment I joined the Academy until the last race in Abu Dhabi. They turned my dream of racing in Formula One into reality, and I will always be grateful for that.
“Now, it is time for a new chapter, and to take on this challenge with BWT Alpine Formula One Team is truly an honour. A huge thank you to Luca [de Meo], Flavio [Briatore] and Oliver [Oakes] for believing in me and welcoming me into the team with open arms. I cannot wait to get started and see where this journey takes us.
“Also, a massive thank you to all my sponsors and partners who stood by me through the challenges of the 2024 season. Your support made it all possible, and to my incredible fans in Argentina: ‘Muchas gracias!’ Your passion and encouragement mean the world to me. Let’s aim for even greater things in 2025 and beyond.”