In their press release, Williams took the opportunity “to thank Logan Sargeant for his hard work and contribution over the past two seasons”, adding he “will remain in the Williams family and we will support him to continue his racing career”.
It comes after a particularly challenging run for the American, who crashed his updated Williams at last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, a few weeks on from confirmation that he will be replaced by Carlos Sainz next year.
“It is an honour to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of,” Colapinto said of the news. “The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can’t wait to be part of.
“Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge, and I’m fully focused on working as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success.”
Williams Team Principal James Vowles added: “To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season.