Following Logan Sargeant’s FP3 crash in Zandvoort on Saturday, Williams reportedly compiled a list of replacements for the American driver. Red Bull junior Liam Lawson was one of them, and Helmut Marko has admitted to being open to the move.
Sargeant’s 2024 season has, if possible, been a step down from his dismal rookie campaign last year. He has been involved in several costly shunts, and the Dutch GP incident did not favor his reputation.
He was set to be replaced by Carlos Sainz at the end of the season anyway, but sources state that Williams has run out of patience with the American driver, and will look to appoint Lawson as its driver for the remaining nine races.
When Red Bull’s chief advisor Marko was questioned about the same, he replied (as quoted by Formula Passion),
“If it is good for a young driver and he can gain experience in the race, we will not stand in his way.”
James Vowles had reportedly visited Christian Horner after Qualifying to discuss Liam Lawson’s availability for a short term loan as per @ESPNF1
[https://t.co/EqUpBszXhd] pic.twitter.com/6TzNG1RRUb
— RBR Daily (@RBR_Daily) August 25, 2024
The only issue with the move is that Williams is a Mercedes customer team. Drivers not backed by the Silver Arrows would need to get approval from Toto Wolff, their Team Principal, before getting behind the wheel of the FW-46.
Who else can replace Sargeant at Williams?
If Williams fails to sign Lawson, they will have other options at their disposal. Reports suggest that Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher was another name on Vowles’ list.
Craig Slater reports that Williams is evaluating if Logan Sargeant should be subbed out of his seat at Williams before the end of the season
In the event that this happens, the most likely replacement would be Mick Schumacher pic.twitter.com/LVCmBR4Plt
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) August 25, 2024
Schumacher last competed full-time in 2022, after which Haas sacked him. He found a home at Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton and George Russell’s understudy and also represented Alpine in the World Endurance Championship earlier this year. But, driving F1 again remained his dream.
Vowles and Wolff are said to have spoken on the matter already. Wolff is keen to see Schumacher get a seat in F1 again, which has made the German driver one of the favorites to replace Sargeant next weekend onwards.
