Williams boss James Vowles hasn’t ruled out Logan Sargeant being replaced at the Formula 1 team mid-season, citing that he is “open-minded” to a possible change.
Sargeant’s chance at remaining with Williams in 2025 is all but impossible as Vowles has set his sights on an experienced driver to partner the incumbent Alex Albon.
However, Sargeant could end up not even seeing out the current season amid a sophomore campaign that has seen him accrue zero points compared to Albon’s four.
Williams was rumoured to have been the team behind a successful dispensation request to exempt Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 17, from the FIA’s minimum age restriction.
The Italian is now eligible to receive an FIA Superlicense before turning 18 on August 25 and the Mercedes protege recorded his maiden Formula 2 win at Silverstone.
When asked whether Williams would consider changing its driver line-up this season, Vowles said last week: “We’re continually evaluating it.
“What we’ve said to Logan is it’s a meritocracy. You have to make sure you earn your place in the sport continuously.
“That’s been the same message that has been for 18 months really for him. And we are open-minded to things.”
However, Vowles accepted that Williams’ more troubling campaign with a revamped FW46 car has contributed to Sargeant being unable to deliver the desired results.
Sargeant was put on the same spec car as team-mate Albon for the first time in Spain last month, but his floor hasn’t been “producing the right amount of downforce”.
“What I’ve said before and I’ve maintained today, is that our car — and this is a responsibility on my shoulders and the team — isn’t quick enough,” he explained.
“It’s not a driver issue we suffer from today. We’ve simply been out-developed and we have to make sure we accelerate that process.”
Sargeant reacted to Vowles’ public pledge as he delivered his strongest drive to date this term at Silverstone with an eventual 11th-place finish as Albon seized ninth.
“That was a good race, to be honest,” Sargeant reflected. “I think I executed everything really well.
“It was a bit of a shame we were too close on that first inter stop, and we had to stack, and lost quite a bit of time there, and didn’t quite have the pace on the inter-tyre.
“Just struggling a lot with degradation, and probably boxed a lap late to get back on the slicks, but, yeah, easy in hindsight.
“I think we did a good job, all things considered, and kept it together in tricky conditions, and gave ourselves a chance.”
