Despite wild rumors, Franco Colapinto was never a contender for Red Bull’s seat, confirms Helmut Marko.
- Red Bull opted to promote Yuki Tsunoda after Liam Lawson’s disappointing start to the season.
- Franco Colapinto, now Alpine’s reserve driver, was never in serious discussions with Red Bull.
- Helmut Marko confirms discussions were about Red Bull junior Fionn McLaughin, not Colapinto.
- Ralf Schumacher highlights internal disagreements within Red Bull over driver selections.
The racing world buzzed with speculation, suggesting Franco Colapinto might step into a Red Bull seat. However, Helmut Marko put these rumors to rest, asserting that Colapinto was never considered as a replacement for Liam Lawson. This statement followed after the decision was made to promote Yuki Tsunoda, replacing Lawson ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix due to Lawson’s underwhelming performance in the season’s first two races.
Lawson’s struggles meant a return to the Racing Bulls junior team, with Tsunoda stepping up to the senior team. Marko emphasized that although Colapinto had shown promise, particularly during his stint with Williams, the Argentine was not in Red Bull’s plans. Reports from PlanetF1.com further cemented this, highlighting that Red Bull’s actions last season indicated a waning interest in Colapinto after several accidents marred his record.
The meeting between Helmut Marko and Oliver Oakes, Alpine’s team principal, fueled some of the speculations. But Marko clarified the meeting was purely about discussing Fionn McLaughin, a young talent from the Red Bull academy racing in British F4 under Oakes’ team. ‘Colapinto wasn’t a topic,’ insisted Marko, dismissing any ties to the Argentine driver.
Ralf Schumacher, speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, shed light on internal debates within Red Bull. He suggested that Christian Horner, the team principal, showed interest in Colapinto before his series of crashes. However, Marko’s influence and support for drivers like Lawson and Tsunoda appeared stronger, shaping Red Bull’s current lineup. Schumacher remarked that without Max Verstappen’s consistent performances, Red Bull’s choices might be scrutinized further.
Overall, while Colapinto’s name floated around as a potential candidate in the past, both direct and indirect sources have indicated that Red Bull’s priority shifted towards talent emerging from their own squad, such as Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda.
In sum, Franco Colapinto was never a serious candidate for a Red Bull seat amidst the swirling rumors.
