He did so when referring to the Red Bull rookie Liam Lawsonwhich said that “He won’t know if he’ll be at the level of Colapinto and other young drivers”.
Colapinto, who currently races in Williams and is part of its academy, completed the Marina Bay street circuit, where he qualified in twelfth position and finished in eleventh place, despite a pit stop that made him lose valuable seconds to Sergio “Checo” Pérez.
Horner, who has been at the helm of the team that dominates the category in recent years, mentioned the Argentine driver when asked about the development of talent outside the Red Bull program: “Colapinto is one of the young promises. We have given a great opportunity to many youngsters, but the Red Bull system demands results and performance”explained the Briton, leaving open the possibility of considering pilots who do not belong to his academy.
Also, when he talked about the possibility of looking for drivers from outside his program, due to the recent information that Liam Lawson would replace Daniel Ricciardo at Racing Bulls from the next round in the United States, he used Colapinto and other rookies to put pressure on whether his driver is up to the task or not: “We’re not sure, looking at Colapinto, Bearman and Antonelli as well, if he’s at that level? Only time will tell.”.
Horner’s praise follows the comments of “Checo” Perez, who, after a tight duel on the track, acknowledged the Williams driver during the broadcast: “Colapinto is very good, he is difficult to beat.” Words that reflect the growing respect that the young Argentine driver has gained within the paddock.
Regarding this, the Pilar native responded that “Checo is a great driver, as a child I watched his races and today I can race against him.”
Colapinto’s future in Formula 1 is still undefined, as Williams has already confirmed its regular drivers for 2025, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, which leaves the Argentine with the possibility of being a reserve driver for the English team, and with a chance to return to being a regular in 2026 if Sainz decides to emigrate to Audi, a rumour that has gained strength and that also allows him to easily disassociate himself from the contract he signed.
Horner did not rule out the possibility of looking outside the Red Bull programme if opportunities presented themselves, mentioning names such as George Russell, who is out of contract with Mercedes at the end of 2024. “We’re not afraid to go looking outside. There are other talented drivers who could well be out of contract as well,” the Red Bull boss said.
Amidst the competition for a place in Formula 1, Colapinto continues to show his worth in each race and position himself as a driver with the potential to make the jump to more renowned teams. His journey has only just begun, but he has already made it clear that he has the talent and determination to continue climbing the ranks in the top category of motorsport.
Source: Ambito
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