Logan Sargeant’s time at Williams is coming to a detailed, because the Components 1 staff introduced earlier this summer season that Carlos Sainz Jr. can be becoming a member of the staff on a “multi-year” contract beginning subsequent season. Nonetheless, Sargeant’s time within the seat is perhaps working out, as a report following his crash throughout apply on the Dutch Grand Prix signifies that the staff might make a change earlier than the season is over.
If Williams certainly implements a driver swap, don’t anticipate younger phenom Andrea Kimi Antonelli to get that seat.
Sargeant’s powerful Saturday led to a report from Erik van Haren from De Telegraaf that he is perhaps changed earlier than the tip of the season, with Mick Schumacher and Liam Lawson listed as choices. That report prompted additional hypothesis that maybe Mercedes might look to slip Antonelli into that seat, forward of the younger driver’s assumed promotion to Mercedes alongside George Russell for the 2025 season.
Nonetheless, talking with Sky Sports activities F1 following the Dutch Grand Prix — received by Lando Norris in dominating vogue — Mercedes Group Principal Toto Wolff dismissed that concept. But, Antonelli will get an opportunity to drive for Mercedes subsequent week on the Italian Grand Prix, as beforehand deliberate.
“That’s not going to occur,” Wolff informed Sky. “We’re going to place Kimi in FP1 on Friday, that’s definitive, and proceed our program as we have now deliberate.”
Whether or not Sargeant is changed in any respect stays to be seen. Following van Haren’s report Sky Sports activities F1 journalist Craig Slater reported on Sunday that the staff is “evaluating” such a transfer:
“My understanding is Williams are evaluating whether or not they need to sub Sargeant out of the automobile earlier than the tip of the season and maybe place one other driver in there, maybe as an nearly kindness to himself, as his kind actually is bedraggled in the intervening time,” reported Slater.
“Now it might occur, it might not occur. It’s one thing they’re evaluating as I perceive it. The staff are saying completely nothing on the file.”
If not Antonelli, then who? Slater pointed to Schumacher and Lawson, noting that Schumacher could be the “likeliest” possibility given Lawson’s contractual obligations to Purple Bull.
“It’s additionally difficult for Williams to perhaps put Liam Lawson in there, who’s a part of the Purple Bull program,” famous Slater. “Mick Schumacher, given his contractual availability, is probably the likeliest driver if Williams determine to modify out Logan Sargeant.”
But, based on at the very least one Purple Bull determine, Lawson should still be an possibility for Williams if a swap is made:
Helmut Marko was requested by @skysportformel1 whether or not Liam Lawson would get permission to drive for Williams this season: „If it’s good for a younger driver and he can acquire some race expertise we wouldn’t stand in the best way.” #F1
— Tobi Grüner (@tgruener) August 25, 2024
The motive force market isn’t uninteresting in Components 1.
