Franco Colapinto was racing in Formula 2 two months ago with little prospect of an F1 career. Part of the Williams driver academy, he was performing well in the series, but his name was hardly mentioned in a frantic driver market. Colapinto ranked sixth in the championship following his final appearance at Spa in July. He’d taken one victory (the Imola Sprint) and three podiums overall. James Vowles was ‘taken aback’ by Colapinto at Silverstone, where he made his first FP1 appearance. But even when Logan Sargeant lost his seat, Vowles pursued Red Bull’s Liam Lawson rather than promoting his ac…