Formula 1: Why RB Should Take a Chance on F1's Latest Supersub

The 21-year-old from Pilar, Greater Buenos Aries, rose to stardom when parachuted at Williams, replacing Logan Sargeant for the remaining nine races of 2024.

Despite limited time to adjust to his new chariot, Colapinto has hit the ground running, producing several impressive performances and scoring points in Baku and Austin. These exploits have caused Argentinian companies to return to F1 investing in Williams, and Argentine fans have travelled far and wide to cheer on their new messiah.

But there's one problem: no one knows how Colapinto's story will end. He doesn't have a drive for 2025, but it would be foolish to say he doesn't have options for next season.

Williams' lineup for 2025 of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon was confirmed in August, long before 'Colapintomania' took hold of F1, meaning he would have to take on reserve driver duties if he stayed put at the iconic British outfit.

Audi-Sauber is shopping around for a teammate for German veteran Nico Hulkenberg. Still, with the team having a dreadful 2024 season, it would be a baptism of fire for any driver, regardless of their experience levels.

That leaves one unlikely option. At the time of writing, Red Bull is still undecided over its 2025 lineups. Sergio Perez's lack of results may promote Kiwi Liam Lawson to the top team for 2025, leaving a seat at RB open.

And here's why RB should take a chance on F1's new sensation.

Lack of faith in Red Bull juniors and current lineup

Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

In June 2024, Red Bull's two-driver lineups looked set in stone, with Max Verstappen partnering Perez for what was expected to be their fifth season together as teammates. Yuki Tsunoda was confirmed for another season at RB, with either Lawson or the under-pressure Daniel Ricciardo taking the second seat.

Fast-forward to October. Ricciardo is gone, and Perez, under contract until 2026, isn't guaranteed to be in the seat for 2025 due to a run of woeful race weekends. The Mexican veteran is over 200 points behind Verstappen in the Drivers Championship, and his lack of results is likely cost Red Bull second place in the Constructors Championship.

Perez's plateauing results and Lawson's impressive performance as Ricciardo's replacement at Austin, where he finished ninth from last, have put the Kiwi in a prime position to snatch the second seat at Red Bull.

If Perez were to be released from his contract early, it would open up a seat at RB, with Colapinto's biggest rival for the drive being Formula 2 front-runner Frenchman Isack Hadjar.

Hadjar, backed by Red Bull, has endured a topsy-turvy season and is currently 4.5 points behind McLaren junior Gabriel Bortoleto in the Drivers Championship with two rounds left. The Frenchman didn't set the world alight in his FP1 for Red Bull at Silverstone and tends to lose his cool under pressure.

Red Bull has limited in-house options, as Honda-backed junior Ayumu Iwasa is not in the team's plans, and Arvid Lindblad isn't ready for F1. This means they may have to look elsewhere, opening the door for Colapinto.

Adaptability puts pressure on highly-rated Albon

Photo: @WilliamsRacing/X

Since joining Williams in 2022, Albon's stock as one of the best drivers in the midfield has grown, with several giant-killing performances in tricky machinery.

His performances helped the team jump from 10th and last in 2022 to seventh in 2023. He also showed his faith in Vowles' plans to return Williams to the front of the grid by signing a multi-year extension in May 2024.

But Colapinto's arrival coincided with a recent drop off in Albon's performances despite finishing in the points at Monza and Baku. In Austin, he had a torrid 100th GP weekend, spinning in Sprint qualifying, costing him a spot in SQ2 as his teammate advanced into SQ3. Although he out-qualified the Argentine, colliding with Esteban Ocon at the start ended any chance of points.

His 100th GP weekend from hell has raised questions about whether Albon had flattered to deceive against two inferior teammates in his first two seasons at Williams.

His first teammate, Canadian Nicholas Latifi, was not a bad driver by any stretch and achieved sporadic points finishes while partnered with George Russell. But by 2022, he was struggling with confidence issues after receiving death threats following a crash at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP, which helped Verstappen controversially snatch the title.

Sargeant replaced Latifi for 2023, but despite showing flashes of speed, the American never progressed, and following heavy practice cash in Zandvoort, he was dropped for Colapinto.

Add in the fact that Colapinto has had limited time to get up to speed, and it's no surprise Albon is under pressure to up his game with the impending arrival of Sainz or potentially face the exit.

It's also a sign that the Argentine can adapt quickly to a new environment, even if the Red Bull ecosystem is a different kettle of fish.

Colapintomania gets Argentina back in love with F1

Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Argentina may have produced drivers such as Juan Manuel Fangio, Jose Froilan Gonzalez, and Carlos Reutemann, but it had been starved of representation on the F1 grid until Colapinto's arrival.

Since then, grandstands at various F1 venues have been engulfed by a wave of blue and white flags and bare-chested, passionate Argentinian fans keen to join in with their compatriots' exploits.

Williams has seen an influx of cash since his debut at Monza, with Argentinian companies Globant and Mercado Libre signing on as sponsors.

It has even sparked rumours that the Argentinian GP, last run in 1998, will return to the calendar. However, the race's return will take time as currently their are no Grade 1 circuits in Argentina [the licence required to host an F1 race], increased competition from more wealthy nations, and the country's continued economic woes.

Red Bull has always used racing to sell more cans of its product, and with Latin America being a huge market, having a youthful face is crucial for the brand.

Colapinto has that, and his humble backstory of his family selling everything to make his dream happen and his witty sense of humour will keep sales steady.

De Vries' experiments a warning to all parties

Photo: Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool

Although he ticks plenty of boxes, there is a concern he could end up like the last Williams super sub who moved to Red Bull's junior team.

At the 2022 Italian GP, Albon withdrew from the meeting due to appendicitis, opening the door for then Mercedes reserve driver 2019 F2 champion Dutchman Nyck de Vries to make his long-awaited F1 debut.

With limited track time, de Vries grabbed the opportunity with both hands, finishing ninth on his F1 debut and earning a seat at AlphaTauri for 2023 alongside Tsunoda.

But rather than destroy Tsunoda, de Vries struggled and was replaced by Daniel Ricciardo after 10 races.

Circumstances differ, but it is a warning sign to Red Bull about the risks of signing a driver outside their junior pool.

Conclusion: It may have backfired previously, but Colapinto would be a steal of a signing

Colapinto has shown he has more than earned a spot on the 2025 grid, and RB would be foolish not to try to secure his services.

In his brief stint in F1, he has shown an ability to adapt quickly to a new car and perform well against highly-rated opposition while making the team he's driving for plenty of cash.

While Perez is the face of the Red Bull brand in Latin America, his performances in 2024 have been mediocre, to put it politely, and he was lucky to keep his seat for the second half of the year. In addition, the ever-enlarging damage bill and the possibility of Red Bull finishing third in the Constructors Championship are partly down to his performances, so it makes sense why his position is under threat.

By signing Colapinto, Red Bull will not only avoid losing that particular market but also gain someone capable of keeping Lawson and Tsunoda on their toes. Red Bull Racing may also need to find a successor for Verstappen if he decides to jump ship to Mercedes or Aston Martin so having three capable young drivers in the ranks who they can build a team would be a plus.