After Williams confirmed Logan Sargeant’s mid-season departure earlier this week, the American driver put up a message for his fans on his app, which he soon deleted.
Sargeant’s crash during FP3 in Zandvoort was the final straw for Williams who decided to replace him with Franco Colapinto for the remaining nine races. Sargeant’s parting message on his platform read,
“Hi everyone. After today’s news, I wanted to say that I am super thankful to Williams Racing for giving me my first opportunity in Formula 1. I am so grateful for the support I received from everyone at the team from the moment I first joined the Academy back in 2021.”
Logan’s message to his fans ☹️☹️ wish him the absolute best for his future!! pic.twitter.com/ojA6hwWE4V
— Clara (@leclercsletters) August 27, 2024
However, the fact that Sargeant deleted the post could be down to him developing some hard feelings for Williams. He was going to be replaced at the end of the season anyway, but having to leave with nine races to go, would have been a painful moment for the American driver.
On the other hand, Sargeant could be preparing a longer, and better goodbye post. Williams signed him up in its academy in 2021 and helped him get to F1, where he became the first American driver in 30 years to score a point.
Furthermore, Williams has not cut ties with Sargeant. The team announced that he would remain a part of the family and that they would support his racing career, wherever he decided to go.
Why Williams sacked Sargeant
Williams has one eye on 2025 when Carlos Sainz joins the team. They want a significant portion of their budget to go into developing next season’s car, and Sargeant’s four crashes this season haven’t helped.
Plus, Williams wants both of its drivers to compete for points this year with the resources at their disposal. Alex Albon has been in the mix with four points, but Sargeant has been far off. Team Principal James Vowles said in a statement,
“To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season.”
Vowles picked Colapinto as Sargeant’s replacement because he is a part of the team’s academy. By competing in the remaining nine races, the Argentine driver will get a chance to show the grid how good he is.
