F1 News: Ecclestone tips Colapinto to secure 2025 seat ‘soon’

(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone thinks a full-time race seat will emerge for promising Argentinean rookie Franco Colapinto “soon”.

With Audi-Sauber announcing Gabriel Bortoleto for its second 2025 seat, and Colapinto needing to vacate his current Williams cockpit for Carlos Sainz at the end of the year, the 21-year-old is facing a return to the reserve bench.

Given how Colapinto has turned heads since replacing Logan Sargeant mid-season, both on track and also in the Argentine commercial world, one fan said on X that it’s “incredible” the youngster has received no offers for 2025.

“Who informed you that Franco doesn’t have any offers?” replied Colapinto’s manager Jamie Campbell-Walter.

It is well known that Colapinto’s management, also including Maria Catarineu, were in talks with Red Bull over the past few weeks. It was rumored the energy drink company could find him a place at the junior team RB, or even as Sergio Perez’s replacement at Red Bull Racing.

One wild theory is that Red Bull was offering to take Sainz off Williams’ hands, enabling Colapinto to stay at the Grove-based team next to Alex Albon.

“Carlos is committed to Williams, and he is not in our plans for next year,” insisted Red Bull boss Christian Horner.

It is believed Red Bull turned down Williams’ rumored $20 million release fee demands for Colapinto’s services.

“It’s a shame that Colapinto is being left out at the moment,” former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone told the Swiss newspaper Blick.

“But I think he’ll find a free place somewhere soon.”

Would Alpine really Fire Doohan before the 2025 season even begins?

Italy’s Gazzetta dello Sport has reported Alpine executive adviser Flavio Briatore has had a change of heart and is committed to pursuing Colapinto instead of Doohan despite announcing Doohan as one of their drivers for 2025.

If the Italian powerbroker is successful in luring the Argentine, the Gazzetta reports that it would be at Doohan’s expense.

Some even think a deal may already be signed.

“I want to state categorically that this is not the case,” Maria Catarineu, commercial boss at Campbell-Walter’s Bullet Sports Management group, told Carburando.

“The truth is that nothing has been signed yet, but the desire to keep Franco in Formula 1 comes from all sides, including Williams. This is what they are working on.

“This is Williams’ problem. They want Franco to stay in Formula 1 in 2025.”

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Jos Verstappen, who aligns with Dr. Helmut Marko in this conflict with Christian Horner over upcoming talent, told Viaplay this week that he would support Liam Lawson (not Colapinto) replacing Pérez as his son’s teammate next season.

“I think Lawson is doing very well,” he said.

“It seems logical to me that he is ready to step up. Let him finish this season and build confidence, and then the team has to decide what they do for next year.

“It’s better if there is someone who is competitive and pushes Max forward a bit. That always helps, but we’ll see.”