95% of the 2024 Formula 1 grid is already confirmed. To make the count easier, 19 out of 20 seats already have an owner. So all eyes are on the one remaining spot: the second Williams seat. With Alex Albon under contract for his third season at Grove, the question is who will accompany the Thai driver, given the uncertainty surrounding American driver Logan Sargeant.
In the last Grand Prix races of the season broadcasted on Star+ (excluding Mexico), the Floridian driver stood out for the strong accidents he was involved in, which naturally generated a significant amount of expenses for Williams; a problem in times of budget caps. Sargeant crashed twice in the Netherlands. The first accident occurred during Q3, right in his first appearance in the final segment of a qualifying session. He ended up against the wall in Singapore and destroyed his FW45 in Japan before being able to complete his first Q3 lap.
His hard crashes quickly opened up a media range of possible substitutes, with three potential candidates. Brazilian Felipe Drugovich, current Formula 2 champion, Aston Martin reserve driver and with strong financial support, positioned himself strongly. Mick Schumacher, with two seasons of experience in Haas and as a Mercedes reserve driver, lurked in the shadows. An important fact: the Mercedes brand is the engine provider for Williams, and the 2024 engine package could include the son of the seven-time champion. Finally, Liam Lawson entered the list with strong performances as a replacement for the injured Daniel Ricciardo at Alpha Tauri. The option for the New Zealander would come through a loan from Red Bull, although it would only be for one year and Williams would aim for something more long-term. This situation diminishes Lawson's chances, as the energy drink's structure already has a seat reserved for him at Alpha Tauri for 2025.
However, James Vowles, the Williams director, put an end to all the speculation by coming out in support of Sargeant. "Logan has very clear goals that he must achieve before the end of the season and we are working with him continuously. That is the important point: we are working with him. We want him to succeed and we want him in the car next year. This also depends a lot on us," said the English engineer, former head of strategy at Mercedes.
Vowles went further and defended the American driver: "We took someone directly from Formula 2 without any significant testing, put him in the car for a day and a half of testing in Bahrain, and then wished him the best in a season that was terribly challenging for rookie drivers, period".
Regarding Sargeant's performance in 2023, Vowles said: "There were some very positive signs. Logan didn't have the same aerodynamic specification as Alex. We have updates on Alex's car that are not present on Logan's. And if we look at the Suzuka case, he improved throughout the weekend. In the third practice session, he set a time that matched Alex's, and in qualifying, before the crash, he was within a tenth of Alex's performance as well, at one of the most challenging circuits of the season".
The defense was strong, but there was no confirmation. The upcoming races will be crucial for Sargeant and his desire to continue in Formula 1.