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Jolyon Palmer says 22-year-old driver is still not guaranteed a place on the 2024 F1 grid

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With just three race weekends left, some drivers will already be looking forward to the 2024 season, but not Williams rookie Logan Sargeant.

Speaking on the Chequered Flag Podcast, Jolyon Palmer and Alex Brundle discussed the American’s future.

Sargeant was coming into the Mexico City Grand Prix off the back of his best weekend in Formula 1.

The Floridian was taking part in his second home Grand Prix of the season and crossed the line in 12th, before being promoted into the points thanks to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s disqualification.

It meant every driver who has taken part in every race weekend is now off the mark, although the American is nowhere near teammate Alex Albon in the Drivers’ Championship.

Every team on the grid has confirmed their driver line-up for 2024 except Williams, who are still considering Sargeant’s future.

There are plenty of young talents hoping to make the step up into Formula 1 next year and with opportunities scarce, they may sense a chance given Williams’s reluctance to extend his one-year deal.

F1 Grand Prix of Mexico
Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images

He didn’t set the world alight with his performance on Sunday and retired on the final lap of the race despite running 12th at the time.

A fuel pump issue prevented him from taking the chequered flag but he wouldn’t have added to his points tally anyway.

Sargeant’s Williams future still not certain for 2024

Talking about the American’s fortunes, Alex Brundle said: “Another disappointing race for Logan Sargeant coming to blows earlier on.

“So again, the gulf between those two [Sargeant and Alex Albon] continue and will the conversation open up again about whether Sargeant should be continuing in that car.”

Joylon Palmer added: “Yeah, I don’t really know if it was ever closed off, Sargeant is still under scrutiny for the last space available on the grid. Not a great day for him.”

Asked last month what he needed to do to retain his seat, Sargeant said: “Yeah, I know what I need to do. It starts with cutting out those mistakes and delivering clean weekends.

“From a pace standpoint, I feel like I’m pretty close to where I need to be, [I need to] just clean it up, start delivering when I need to and it should be all good.”

The 22-year-old followed up those comments a couple of races later in Japan by crashing in the first qualifying session.

Sargeant potentially has three race weekends left to save his seat at Williams and make sure he’s on the grid in 2024.

He’s not exactly a big celebrity in the USA and doesn’t provide a huge draw for Williams as a result.

2022 F2 champion Felipe Drugovich would bring a much more passionate Brazilian fanbase with him should Williams decide to look elsewhere.

All eyes now turn to Sao Paulo to see what the youngster can do at Interlagos.