Recent developments within the Formula 1 driver market have caused much anticipation to shift dramatically. Much discussion surrounded Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and VCARB Yuki Tsunoda due to potential swap discussions amid Lawson’s difficult start to 2025 season; Franco Colapinto has also recently returned as a potential future candidate under consideration.
Colapinto had initially planned on replacing Doohan at Alpine midseason; however, his prospects appear to have taken an unexpected turn following Red Bull’s Helmut Marko attending Alpine’s hospitality during Chinese Grand Prix hospitality and fuelling speculation of Colapinto becoming involved with Red Bull interests.
Why Red Bull is Considering Colapinto
Liam Lawson’s struggle to perform in line with Red Bull’s expectations, particularly after races in Australia and China, has led to discussions around his future with the team. Given the substantial gap in performance between Lawson and top performers like Verstappen, Red Bull is forced to reassess their options sooner than they might have preferred.
Despite the allure of giving Lawson more time to adjust, Red Bull had previously shown interest in Franco Colapinto. The team’s decision-making process concerning their second seat at VCARB saw Colapinto as a potential candidate, following an unplanned promotion of Lawson into F1 as a result of circumstances rather than long-term planning.
Discussions with Alpine
reports have confirmed Helmut Marko’s recent visit to Alpine’s hospitality area and revealed serious consideration for Colapinto as part of Red Bull’s portfolio. Colapinto currently contracts with Alpine as their reserve driver; yet VCARB may offer him an opportunity to test him during 2025 season as VCARB are considering loaning him out as an evaluation opportunity.
Though any move requires numerous steps before any decisions can be finalized, one option to keep an eye out for remains Colapinto potentially transitioning to VCARB should Tsunoda join Red Bull as soon as he does so is Colapinto being considered for that position. With unpredictability still swirling in Red Bull’s driver roster and potential changes on the horizon looming large – Colapinto being among them!