Franco Colapinto's supporters are bracing for what could be a significant announcement this weekend at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Argentine journalist Cesar Santomauro has fueled the excitement with a cryptic message on X: "Watch out, big news is coming," accompanied by a photo of the 21-year-old rookie. "Las Vegas, just a few days away."
The speculation centres on whether Colapinto could be confirmed as Max Verstappen's teammate at Red Bull Racing for the 2025 season. Since stepping in for Logan Sargeant earlier this year, Colapinto has made a major impression, reportedly securing substantial commercial backing from Argentina—enough to potentially cover Williams' $20 million release fee.
While Sergio Perez continues to publicly assert that his seat is secure for 2025, Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko remains non-committal when discussing the Mexican's future.
In an interview with Osterreich, Marko was asked if Perez might lose his seat before the season finale in Abu Dhabi. "We still have three races left, so we should be able to get through them fairly well," he replied. "Maybe it will still work out for us."
Karun Chandhok, a former F1 driver turned pundit, believes a promotion to Red Bull Racing might come too soon for Colapinto. "Verstappen would destroy him," Chandhok said, while others suggest a placement at Red Bull's junior team, RB, might be more realistic.
However, Colapinto remains undeterred by the prospect of going up against top-tier drivers.
"As a child, I saw (Fernando) Alonso racing against (Lewis) Hamilton, fighting for championships," Colapinto said. "And suddenly, to be racing them, it's a shock. But when you lower the visor, everyone is the same.
"That fan perspective that you had as a child then goes away and you want to beat everyone. Whether it's Verstappen or (Guanyu) Zhou next to me, it's all the same. I want to beat them and finish ahead of them.
"That moment of having idols or heroes goes away. You respect them a little less, because if they continue to be your heroes, it is very difficult for you."
