Verstappen addresses Colapinto to Red Bull rumours

Max Verstappen says the situation with Franco Colapinto is "complicated", in the midst of persistent speculation linking the Argentine with Red Bull.

The 21-year-old will see out the F1 season at Williams, where he has assumed Logan Sargeant's seat, but with Carlos Sainz already contracted for 2025, he will have to continue his career elsewhere.

Williams team principal James Vowles has been pushing for his academy graduate to find a new home in F1, but with Stake opting for Gabriel Bortoleto, Red Bull and RB appears the only option left on the table.

To further complicate matters, the situation is entirely dependant on what the joint Milton Keynes-Faenza team decides to do with Verstappen's current team-mate, Sergio Perez.

Although the 34-year-old holds a Red Bull contract for next season, he is underperforming and it remains a very real possibility he is fired at the end of the year.

That would, theoretically, pave the way for Colapinto, who has impressed since making his F1 debut at the Italian Grand Prix, to join either Red Bull or RB, with current drivers Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson in contention for a promotion, too.

However, F2 and reserve driver Isack Hadjar is also waiting in the wings, something that could complicate matters for the stand-in driver.

When asked about the situation and the rumours linking Colapinto to the team at large, Verstappen initially tried to sidestep the question.

"It's complicated to answer that because he's still contracted to Williams," the Dutchman told media including RacingNews365.

"He's doing a great job. I think also Williams is probably scratching their heads a bit about what to do with Franco."

The 27-year-old highlighted that Colapinto's plight underpins the need for F1 teams to take more chances on emerging drivers. 

"For me personally, it just shows that teams in general just need to be more open to put young talents in and trust them," the 62-time grand prix winner added.

"Because now you have this kind of situation where he's a Williams junior and potentially has to leave or try to find luck elsewhere while they could have put him in the car."

Verstappen did eventually concede that the situation is "complicated", but underlined his belief that Colapinto has done enough to warrant a full-time seat.

"It's complicated," the three-time F1 drivers' champion said. "Whatever he decides or his management decides to do, does he deserve a spot on the grid? I think with what he has shown so far, yes. But it's not easy to find a spot at the moment."