“As I said, we are very open-minded. In that situation, we are waiting for Audi or Sauber to come to us and tell us what they want and what they are interested in. And from there we can discuss what that actually implies. But the first step is a more open discussion.”
Asked if Colapinto had exceeded expectations since his debut, Vowles said: “Yes, we put him in the car because we knew he was fast, but we expected it would take him longer to get up to speed.
READ MORE: Colapinto declares points finish ‘a dream come true’ as Williams celebrates double success in Baku
“In Monza it was practically at the level I had hoped for, but it was a challenge to go to a new track I had never been to before. [in Baku] And in FP1, actually maintaining the pace is a challenge, to maintain the pace immediately after an accident, and he is very good at absorbing and transferring all the pressure on his shoulders.”
Bowles cited Colapinto’s ability to “remain calm under pressure” as one of his most impressive qualities.
“It’s always difficult to explain what happens when these elite drivers jump into Formula 1,” the team boss said. “It’s a completely different world and the pressure increases exponentially, but he takes it all in his stride.
“You can hear it on the radio. Listen to his voice. He’s really calm and collected and wants more information, more information. So that’s a really good sign of a person who can deal with what’s going on.”
