Red Bull F1 chiefs ‘plan to sign’ Franco Colapinto

Max Verstappen, Franco Colapinto, Red Bull, Williams, Abu Dhabi, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Red Bull ‘plan to sign’ Colapinto

Red Bull are considering making a driver change

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 25 March 2025 09:17

Red Bull are planning a swoop for young talent Franco Colapinto as rumours surrounding their Formula 1 lineup continue to swirl, according to reports in Spanish media.

Liam Lawson's future within the main Red Bull team is already being called into question, with it being reported that Red Bull are considering swapping out Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the upcoming Japanese Grand Prix.

However, some are now suggesting that Lawson could be dropped from a full-time seat altogether, moving back into a reserve driver role while the team hire externally for the Racing Bulls position alongside Isack Hadjar in the event of a Tsunoda promotion.

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According to Motorsport.com Espana, Red Bull are 'planning to sign' Colapinto to their Racing bulls outfit, despite the Argentine recently having signed as a reserve driver with Alpine.

Will Liam Lawson be axed by Red Bull?

Lawson's performances so far in 2025 have been dismal, not scoring a point in any of his first two grand prix weekends, while Max Verstappen has managed to achieve 36 points in the same car.

At the Chinese Grand Prix, Lawson qualified last for both the sprint race and the main race, while Verstappen managed second and fourth for the two races respectively.

Colapinto excelled during the 2024 season while stepping in at Williams, but soon found himself without a spot on the grid in 2025 after Williams signed Carlos Sainz to fill their second seat.

The 21-year-old Argentine was then offered a long-term contract with Alpine to become their reserve driver, with reports suggesting he will find himself on the grid with the team at some point within the next few years.

However, the new report has thrown a spanner into the works, with Colapinto linked to a third team in as many months, with Motorsport.com also suggesting that Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko held talks with Alpine during the weekend in Shanghai.

GPFans have contacted Red Bull for a response on the rumours surrounding Lawson's position within the team.

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Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda Liam Lawson Isack Hadjar Franco Colapinto Japanese Grand Prix