Williams now negotiating with 23-year-old who’s never raced in F1 to replace Logan Sargeant

Follow us on Google Discover

Williams are now negotiating with Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich about the Brazilian replacing Logan Sargeant with a race seat in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

That is according to Blick, which reports that Williams are studying dropping Sargeant before the end of his rookie F1 season. The 22-year-old is still to score a single point after 15 Grand Prix and three Sprint events. Yet his teammate, Alex Albon, has earned 21 to carry the outfit.

Albon’s points alone see Williams rank seventh in the constructors’ championship over Haas, Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri. He also ranks 13th in the drivers’ standings. Yet Sargeant is 20th amongst the 22 drivers to have raced in 2023 and is the only full-time driver without a point.

Williams are considering axing F1 rookie Logan Sargeant

Crashes in the Netherlands and Singapore have further tarnished Sargeant’s standing within the Williams team, too. The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native made Q3 in qualifying for the first time at Zandvoort before crashing out. A hydraulics issue also saw him crash out of the race.

Sargeant dipped a wheel just millimetres off line during his first flying run of Q3 at the Dutch GP. The American was pushing the limits as the track conditions improved. But the slightest of errors sent him spinning into the barriers. While a strike with a kerb ended his Grand Prix.

Points escaped Sargeant at the Italian GP, too, as he came home in P13 while Albon held off McLaren’s Lando Norris for P7. Williams then saw Sargeant hit a wall again at the Singapore GP last weekend. He clipped a wall on Lap 19, breaking his front wing and scattering debris.

Williams are speaking to Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich

Now, Sargeant’s future in Formula 1 is becoming increasingly cloudy as Williams have talked to Drugovich about taking his seat. Discussions have been ongoing for some weeks between the Grove-based squad and the 2022 Formula 2 champion. He could even come in this year.

Williams have moved to speak with the Parana native after Drugovich rejected Alfa Romeo’s interest in potentially replacing Zhou Guanyu. Sauber, who resume the naming of their team in 2024, were also sceptical about hiring the Aston Martin reserve given his lack of a budget.

Instead, Drugovich may now land a chance to race in Formula 1 for the first time at Williams. Aston Martin named the 23-year-old as their reserve driver two days after he won the 2022 F2 title. But his only time in their 2023 car was in pre-season and two free practice sessions.

Williams are yet to definitively decide to drop Sargeant, though, and would prefer to escape releasing him before the end of the year. The team would like to give the American a chance to continue improving. He also has two home rounds on the horizon in Austin and Las Vegas.