Franco Colapinto graduates to F2 with MP Motorsport for Yas Marina finale and 2024 season

MP Motorsport have announced that Franco Colapinto will make his Formula 2 debut with them in the 2023 season finale at Yas Marina next month, ahead of a full campaign with the Dutch team next year.

Colapinto steps up off the back of a second successful year in Formula 3, earning two wins and five podiums for MP. The Williams Racing Academy driver ended up fourth in the Drivers’ Championship.

Reflecting on promotion, Colapinto says that the continuation his relationship with MP will aid him in adapting to the new challenges the Championship brings.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be moving up to Formula 2 with MP. MP are proven race winners in the category, and staying with them feels absolutely right. It’s a familiar atmosphere for me, and it will be to our advantage that we know each other so well as I enter my debut season in the category.

"I very much look forward to the fresh challenge of a new series, with a brand-new car to help develop. I can’t wait to get in the car in Abu Dhabi and then work with the team to be ready for a long and challenging 2024 season.”

The Argentine racer is already a well acquainted with MP. After storming his way to the 2019 Spanish F4 title in his debut season in single-seaters, Colapinto partnered up with the Dutch team the following year in Formula Renault Eurocup. Securing two wins and nine podiums, he finished his rookie campaign in third.

Remaining with them for another season, he achieved sixth in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. From there, he graduated to F3 with Van Amersfoort Racing, taking two wins on his way to ninth in the Drivers’ Standings in 2022 before reuniting with MP for the 2023 campaign.

MP Team Principal Sander Dorsman added: “It’s great news that we are able to announce Franco’s promotion to our F2 team so early. This will give us a headstart in our preparations for an exciting 2024 F2 season in which we all start from zero, with the new F2 car offering everyone a new baseline to work from. Retaining Franco helps us to maintain stability in that transition, apart from the fact that he’s become a member of the MP family and is an extremely quick and talented driver.”

The final race weekend of the F2 season will take place from November 24-26, and is followed by three days of post-season testing in Abu Dhabi from November 29 – December 1.