Last Updated on December 18 2024, 12:57 pm

Franco Colapinto burst onto the Formula One scene in 2024 as with nine Grand Prix weekends remaining he replace Floridian born Logan Sargeant. A poor qualifying session first time out in M ones saw the Argentinian start from eighteenth on the grid but an impressive drive in the Grand Prix meant franco was classified in twelfth place. 

Points in two of the next three races quickly established the young Argentinian as the talk of the paddock. Red Bull Racing expressed an interest in the Williams academy driver given their list of hopefuls to replace Sergio Perez looked weak after the test session filling the British Grand Prix.

Meanwhile in Japan, Ayumu Iwasa was treading the Red Bull academy path by completing a year in the series where the cars are closest for F1. Super Formula cars are superior to the International FIA junior racing categories of F2/3 and provide the nearest challenge drivers face when entering F1.

 

 

 

Colapinto star fades

Yet unlike his predecessor Liam Lawson who ran the eventual winner of the 2023 Super Formula Series close, Iwasa failed to win a single race and scored just over half the points of the eventual winner Sho Tsuboi.

Franco looked to be on the cusp of a remarkable start to his F1 career as Christian Horner entered discussions with Williams boss James Vowels.

However, they say you’re only as good as your’e last race and Colapinto was to suffer a series of crashes in the final few events which pushed Williams to the brink of a cost cap breach. Interest quickly cooled at Red Bull Racing as the superstar rookie had proven he was quick but very inexperienced.

Meanwhile fellow rookie British Oliver Bearman had less opportunity this year than his Argentinian counterpart. The Ferrari academy driver stepped in for Carlos Sainz in Abu Dhabi when the Spaniard was rushed to hospital for an emergency appendectomy. HIs seventh place finish at the tricky high speed circuit in Jeddah earned him immediate plaudits across the paddock ahead of Lando Norris and seven times champion Lewis Hamilton.

Ex-F1 champ says Hamilton “very very worried” about Ferrari

 

 

 

Bearman ‘rookie of the year’

Bearman also drove for Haas F1 in Azerbaijan as for the first time since the F1 driver super license points system was introduced, Kevin Magnussen received a one race ban for totting up with a total of twelve from his reprimands.

In the post season Formula for Success podcast, Eddie Jordan was asked who of the two rookies had impressed the most during their debuts this year. “To just step into a Ferrari with the amount of pressure, amount of pressure from the team, the press, everything. Carlos Sainz in the hospital having his appendix out….

“I have to go for Oliver Bearman. My God, what he did in his first race to score points was, for me, blew me away. Absolutely. Yes, it’d be difficult for him going forward. He probably hopes that he will get in a Ferrari at some stage.

But Oliver, for me, you’ve made your mark up here in my mind. You’ll be one I’ll always be looking down the scoresheet to see where you are,” said the ex-F1 team owner.

Alonso surprising new team move

 

 

 

Bearman suggests Japanese Super Formula

With only the Red Bull seats to be decided, Colapinto is set to remain as the Williams reserve driver for at least another year. And if he can’t find a seat elsewhere for 2026, the drivers ahead of him in Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon are committed to Williams for 2026 as well.

Yet Bearman believes his fellow rookie should consider racing in another series instead of standing on the sidelines. The British racing driver experienced a test in a Super Formula car and was impressed with the brutal power of the machine in Suzuka.

Speaking to Grande Premio Bearman had this to say: “I think what impressed me most was the handling and the speed of the cornering of these cars on a circuit like Suzuka; it’s like I was ‘dancing’ on the track with the car, I had a lot of fun driving it, it’s very similar to F1, which I really liked.

“I hope Franco can get a seat in F1 next year because he has proven in the nine races that he is capable of performing at the level of the drivers in Formula 1, and he has impressed the whole paddock, and I hope he can get a full-time seat. I enjoyed racing against him. Of course, Super Formula is an option if he doesn’t get to compete in F1, and it’s a great option too.”

Chandhok incensed at Verstappen comments

 

 

 

Porchaire chooses Indycar but Colapinto focused on F1

Theo Porchaire who came second in the 2023 F2 championship was lined up for a season in Super Formula for 2024. Team Impul had confirmed the French driver would race for the in the series in this season and his first race saw Porchaire finish in a lowly P18 after an off track excursion.

Yet Theo withdrew from the championship altogether having been offered a seat in the NTT Indycar Series with Arrow McLaren. However he failed to impress and was replaced first by Ben Barnicoat.

McLaren chopped and changed the driver lineup of their third car this year with Porchaire for six race weekends, Kyle Larson getting a single outing outing and Nolan Seigel completing the last nine rounds of the year.

Coming from Brazil, Franco Colapinto will have eyes only for one racing series and to emulate the achievements of his great countryman Ayrton Senna. He will almost certainly shun all other series, with maybe the exception of Japan’s Super Formula.

The African GP deception

 

 

 

 

Ex-F1 champ hands Norris the ‘tools’ to beat Verstappen

Lando Norris was never really in the race to become the Formula One champion driver of 2024. His season started poorly and while his rival won in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, Norris could only manage a P8 and P6 leaving him already 38 points adrift of the Red Bull driver.

Only a mechanical failure saved Norris from falling further behind the world champion next time out in Australia where bake issues saw Verstappen lose his pole position to Carlos Sainz on lap two. As the problem grew Max was forced to retire his RB20 with Norris going on to claim his first podium of the season.

The McLaren driver lost ground to Verstappen as he won the next two Grand Prix in Japan and China before Lando returned the favour claiming his maiden F1 victory in Miami. Three wins at the next four events saw the world champion establish a lead in the championship he would never relinquish and his tally of seven wins in the first ten races was to prove decisive… READ MORE