Williams clinched the 2023 Destructors’ Championship, incurring a substantial $7 million in damages largely attributed to the on-track struggles of driver Logan Sargeant. The American rookie faced seven (DNF) incidents throughout the season, predominantly caused by spins and crashes.
According to recent reports by F1 technical.net, Logan Sargeant has significantly added to the team’s woes with a substantial contribution of $4,333,000. However, in sharp contrast, his teammate, Alex Albon, made a considerably lower contribution to the team’s damages, totaling only $2,786,000. This is because, throughout the season, Albon showcased remarkable consistency by constantly outperforming his teammates in all 22 races.
With his impressive performance, Albon played a pivotal role in leading the team to a respectable seventh place in the constructors’ standings, accumulating 28 points. Notably, the 27-year-old secured 27 out of the British team’s overall points.
However, on the flip side, when assessing Sargeant’s performance, he didn’t meet the expectations of both American fans and his team. Throughout his debut season, Sargeant had seven Did Not Finish (DNF) instances this season, whereas his teammate Alex Albon failed to finish the race only on four occasions.
Considering Albon’s ability to consistently secure top-10 finishes, the team might now explore the possibility of pairing him with a driver who can challenge him more rigorously. But, the team has not definitively confirmed excluding the American driver from the team.
Is Williams contemplating another wager on Logan Sargeant?
Logan Sargeant’s 2023 performances have prompted the team to carefully reconsider whether they are inclined to afford him another opportunity or not. This contemplation arises from Sargeant’s strong conclusion to the season, securing a P7 in the Las Vegas GP qualifying.
Notably, in Logan’s case, Williams has maintained a stance of patience and thorough analysis. This approach is attributed to team principal James Vowles, who consistently emphasizes the importance of evaluating the rookie’s overall performance.
Considering this, James Vowles mentioned in a recent interview with F1 briefings that before making any commitments, he wants to thoroughly analyze the comprehensive season data.
Vowles said, ” I just want to check through a full season of data one more time and look at the progress, look at mistakes, look the outliers, look for growth and just make sure we’re on the right track.”
Although the decision is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks, the uncertainty surrounding Logan Sargeant’s future raises a compelling question for fans. That is if Williams decides not to retain the American who could potentially step in as his replacement.
To the astonishment of many fans, the name that surfaces in this scenario is Mercedes test driver Frederick Vesti. Nevertheless, amid all these speculations, there is a strong anticipation that Williams will provide Sargeant with another opportunity, aiming for progress in the sport.