Former British racer Johnny Herbert has praised Williams Racing driver Franco Colapinto in light of his recent rise in popularity. Colapinto made his debut at the Italian GP this season, replacing Logan Sargeant. Franco Colapinto instantly made an impact for the Grove-based team, scoring points in his second-ever Formula 1 race.

His performances have gained the attention of various teams on the grid who seek a move for the Argentinian in 2025. Johnny Herbert has since compared Colapinto’s popularity to that of Argentinian legend Lionel Messi. The Ballon’ dor winner is often regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

Herbert claims that the 21-year-old driver is already being compared to Messi in his homeland of Argentina. It’s exciting for Argentina to have a sports star who isn’t a footballer! Colapinto in Argentina has already been compared with Lionel Messi by some.

Johnny Herbert via gpblogColapinto heads into the last three races needing to secure good results for himself and his team. With the coming of new regulations in 2026, Williams Racing might be on the verge of a comeback in Formula 1. Therefore, Colapinto must keep notching good results to have a prosperous future in the coming years.

RELATEDMercedes set to use Lewis Hamilton’s last three races for experimenting with 2025 ideasWilliams Chief claims there’s ‘not a lot’ surrounding Franco Colapinto’s futureWilliams team principal James Vowles has shared his thoughts on Franco Colapinto’s future on the grid. Vowles is currently in a confusing state of affairs, having already confirmed both seats for the Grove-based team in 2025. Franco Colapinto (Via: Williams Racing)All we’re doing right now, all I can say right now is we’re looking at what options are available for him for the future, and we’ll hopefully have some news that we can talk about.

But right now, there’s not a lot. James Vowles said on SkySports F1James Vowles has talked of seeking alternative options for the 21-year-old driver in 2025. Like others, he too prophesizes on the need to nurture newer talents in F1.

However, with all the seats getting filled for the coming season, Vowles has also admitted that Colapinto does not have many options. RELATEDFerrari set for massive Hollywood film tie-up for Las Vegas GPAs Formula 1 nears the end of yet another exciting season, a new year presents multiple new faces on the grid. With quite a few rookies set to make their debut in 2025, the buzz now commences as to whether Colapinto can also cement his place on the grid.