Alex Albon suffered a big crash during FP1 in Melbourne that deemed his car undrivable, as mechanics couldn’t repair it in time. Williams will be able to field just one car this weekend, with Logan Sargeant sacrificing his place for Albon, but as things stand, they also have a huge damage bill to pay off.
Albon crashed at turn 7 in Albert Park, during the first practice session ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. The FW46’s bodywork took a lot of damage, as did the engine and gearbox. Upon first look, it was clear that the mechanics would have their work cut out for them, but soon, they decided that the chassis was beyond repair.
Now, the team has to regroup at their base in Grove to make huge repairs to the chassis or effectively build a new one from scratch. The cost for the same is reported to be $500,000, as team principal James Vowles revealed to Sky Sports’ Ted Kravitz (reported by Junaid Samodien). For a team that is already struggling financially, this is a huge blow, especially considering there are still 21 races to go this season.
As things stand, only Alex Albon will take part in the Australian GP weekend. The team made this call because they felt he was their best chance to finish in the top 10.
Williams bank on Alex Albon as Logan Sargeant gets sacrificed
Williams’ boss, James Vowles, admitted that sidelining Sargeant was one of the toughest decisions he ever had to make. Many felt that the British team disrespected the American driver, but some, including expert Karun Chandhok, supported the call.
So far, it seems as though Vowles made a good decision. In Qualifying, Albon got his car out of Q1, and will line up from P12 in the race. While it will still be difficult, he could be within a shot of competing for points on Sunday.
Talking about why they could not carry a spare chassis to Melbourne, Vowles revealed that they simply couldn’t afford one. Unfortunately for Sargeant, he has to sit this Grand Prix out. Both he and Williams will be hoping that the Thai-British driver makes the most of this opportunity and puts in a memorable display in the race.
