Franco Colapinto expressed confusion and frustration over Oscar Piastri following an early-race incident between the pair during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Heading into the event, Colapinto was making what will likely be his final Formula 1 appearance for the foreseeable future. With Williams having already secured Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon for the 2025 season, the Argentine driver—who initially stepped in for Logan Sargeant at the Italian Grand Prix—took the opportunity in Abu Dhabi to wrap up his unexpected stint in the sport.
Franco Colapinto: “I don’t know what’s wrong with” Oscar Piastri
Additional reporting by Pablo Hidalgo and Thomas Maher
Colapinto quickly earned respect in his brief time with Williams. After debuting in Monza, he managed to score points in two of his first four outings, notably in Azerbaijan and the United States. His early performances attracted attention from teams like Alpine and Red Bull, where he was even considered as a potential 2025 replacement for Sergio Perez.
However, a series of late-season incidents cooled that interest, leaving Colapinto poised to serve as Williams’ reserve driver next year.
The final race of his 2024 campaign ended prematurely when he was forced to retire on Lap 26 due to a suspected power unit failure. This came after he suffered a puncture and diffuser damage in an encounter with Piastri—while he himself was working his way back through the field following an opening-corner spin inflicted by Max Verstappen.
After the race, Colapinto took aim at Piastri for the crash along the back straight, also highlighting Piastri’s difficulties in overtaking Yuki Tsunoda. Although the day ended in disappointment, Colapinto still believes there will be future opportunities in F1 and looks forward to taking some time at home in Buenos Aires to reflect on his journey.
Reflecting on the race weekend, Colapinto noted that it wasn’t the conclusion he had envisioned. He acknowledged that, despite the setbacks, his pace remained strong, and he wishes he could have capped off the season with a positive result. Nevertheless, he understands that such twists and turns are part of life in Formula 1.
Looking ahead, he remains hopeful for a return to racing at the highest level. In the meantime, he plans to regroup with his family back in Argentina, leaving behind the recent streak of misfortune.
Speaking to the media, including PlanetF1.com, in Abu Dhabi, Colapinto said he believes he performed admirably under unexpected circumstances. He expressed his gratitude to the Williams management for placing their trust in him. While he acknowledges that some errors—like his ambitious final-lap qualifying attempt in Las Vegas—could have been avoided, he remains proud of what he accomplished overall. For Colapinto, his brief time in F1 represented a dream fulfilled, and he eagerly anticipates what lies ahead.
Quotes (unchanged):
He told DAZN Spain: “It wasn’t the end of the season I wanted.
“Piastri crashed into me. I don’t know what’s wrong with this guy. He hit me at Turn 6 and then a few other people, I think?
“He spent five laps trying to overtake Tsunoda – the poor guy was two seconds slower and couldn’t pass him.
“Anyway it’s a pity because I think that’s where the race got complicated for us.
“After changing the tyres because of the puncture I had a good pace despite the damage to the diffuser.
“I wanted to finish the race and finish with a smile on my face, but that’s part of F1.”
He said: “It wasn’t the end I was hoping for.
“It’s a pity because I would have liked to finish on a positive note. I think I had a good pace for today.
“We have to keep our heads up and look forward. Surely there will be opportunities in the future.
“A bad run. Unbelievable the bad luck we had in the last few races.
‘The next thing is to go back to Argentina, with my family and forget about all this bad run and bad luck we’ve had lately.”
He said: “It was very exciting. It was my dream come true.
“And since I started in Monza, I knew a lot of things had to happen and I had to learn a lot and I had to keep moving forward.
“And I think when you look at the bigger picture that doesn’t happen many times in F1. You are as good as your last race and I think that’s how Formula 1 works.
“Looking at the bigger picture, I think I did a pretty good job. I tried to maximise the opportunity that Williams gave me. It was an incredible chance and I think something I respect a lot.
“James [Vowles, team principal] and Sven [Smeets, sporting director], everyone in the team, put the confidence and the trust to give me a seat and to give me that opportunity.
“I think Vegas was quite tough. Being tough on me, I think, it was a pretty big mistake going for it in the last lap in quali, trying to put the car in Q3.
“That’s where I look back and I just think that some mistakes could have been avoided, but I think looking at the overall picture and the experience was my dream come true. Very excited to see where the future departs.”
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