Williams’ Sargeant forfeits Australian GP start as chassis handed to Albon،
MELBOURNE, Australia — American Logan Sargeant will not compete in the Australian Grand Prix after Williams sacrificed his chassis for teammate Alex Albon, who damaged his beyond repair on Friday.
The controversial call followed Albon's heavy fall during the opening practice.
Albon escaped unscathed but his car suffered significant damage, particularly to the chassis. Williams later confirmed he did not have a spare in Melbourne.
The team said in a statement: “Williams Racing confirms that due to the significant damage sustained, it is forced to remove the chassis for the remainder of the Grand Prix. This chassis will be returned to the team's headquarters in Grove for repairs .”
With the damage meaning the team would only have one car for the race, Williams opted to put Sargeant's chassis on his more experienced teammate's car.
This means Albon will take part in the final practice sessions on Saturday before qualifying.
The decision highlights the precarious championship fight Williams finds himself in and the brutal reality of F1.
Williams team principal James Vowles said on Friday: “We are extremely disappointed that the damage to the chassis has forced us to withdraw it from the weekend.
“It is unacceptable in modern Formula 1 not to have a replacement chassis, but it reflects our delay during the winter period and an illustration of why we need to make significant changes in order to put ourselves in a better position . for the future.
“As a result, we had some very difficult decisions to make this afternoon. While Logan shouldn't have to suffer from a mistake he didn't make, every race counts when the middle of the pack is more tight as ever, so we made the decision based on our best potential to score points this weekend.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his gracious acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player. This will prove to be a weekend- It's a tough end for Williams, and this situation is not one we'll put ourselves through again.”
Albon made his F1 debut in 2019 and, given the opportunity, is more likely to score points than second-year F1 student Sargeant – who has scored just one point in 2023, compared to 27 for Albon.
Albon said: “I have to be completely honest and say that no driver would want to give up their seat. I would never want anything like that to happen. Logan has always been a consummate professional and team player since the first day, and this will not be an easy task for him.
“But at this stage I cannot dwell on the situation and my only job now is to maximize our potential this weekend and work with the whole team to ensure we do the best job possible. “
Sargeant said: “This is the most difficult time I can remember in my career and it's definitely not easy. However, I'm all here for the team and will continue to contribute in any way I can. possible this weekend to maximize what we can do.” “
Williams is part of the field of bottom five cars, which this year finds itself far from the top five.
With each team having two cars and with points awarded only to the top ten, the championship fight for this group is likely to be close.
Melbourne's Albert Park circuit has hosted chaotic races in the past.
Albon's form since joining Williams has put him high on the wishlist of many teams looking for a driver in 2026, when he will be free from his existing contract.
In comparison, Williams only opted to renew Sargeant for 2024 at the end of last season and many in the paddock already feel he faces an uphill battle to secure a third season with the team – the This week's call might just highlight just how steep that climb is.
