Franco Colapinto appears destined to join Red Bull next season, according to former Formula 1 driver turned pundit Ralf Schumacher.
The 21-year-old rookie, currently racing for Williams, is set to vacate his seat at the end of the year. Despite rumours suggesting Williams might keep Colapinto in 2025 while allowing Carlos Sainz to switch to Red Bull, the team has denied any such scenario.
"Carlos will drive for Williams alongside Alex Albon in 2025, forming one of the most formidable driver lineups on the grid," Williams confirmed in a statement, adding that Sainz will test the 2024 car at the post-Abu Dhabi test.
Meanwhile, negotiations have reportedly been ongoing between Williams, Colapinto's management, and teams like Red Bull and Alpine regarding his 2025 prospects.
Ralf Schumacher believes the Argentine's future is already decided. "There was a lot of interest in him, and not only from Helmut Marko," Schumacher told formel1.de. "I think Colapinto is a certainty at Red Bull."
Williams boss James Vowles is reportedly demanding $20 million for Colapinto's release from his 2025 contract. However, Schumacher suggests Red Bull could afford the fee, given Colapinto's strong commercial appeal in Argentina.
"Colapinto can bring a whole package of sponsors," said Schumacher. "He will have closed some big deals."
Although Colapinto is linked to a potential seat alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing, Schumacher admits a spot at their junior team RB could also be on the cards.
"That's a good question," Schumacher noted. "I don't think Red Bull knows exactly either. Internally, the situation between Christian Horner and Helmut Marko is still not optimal. Then you have Max's father, who is really not happy with the whole situation. It's exciting to see how it's all solved, but I'm pretty sure that Colapinto will end up in one of those cars."
Schumacher acknowledged that bringing a young driver like Colapinto directly into Red Bull Racing involves some risk, though he praised the adaptability of recent rookies.
"But you can still see that Formula 1 is no pony park," he added. "You can see it with (Oscar) Piastri. It's not quite as smooth as it sometimes looks."
