Vowles Urges Sargeant to Prove Worth as Antonelli Waits in Wings
Jul.31 - James Vowles is not ruling out a driver change at Williams even before the 2024 season is complete.
The team boss this week confirmed speculation that Ferrari refugee Carlos Sainz has finally signed a contract to move to Williams for 2025 "and beyond".
Sainz replaces the struggling American driver Logan Sargeant, 23.
"I want to thank Logan for everything he has done for the team and know he will continue to fight hard for us in the races ahead," Vowles said in a media statement.
However, speaking with the well-known Italian portal formu1a.uno, Vowles is actually not ruling out a scenario where Sargeant may in fact lost his cockpit after the summer break.
"Logan has to earn his place at this team, but that goes for everyone - just like Alex (Albon) and just like me," he said. "I definitely don't want to say he has a permanent place at Williams."
Sargeant has failed to score a single point so far in 2024, whilst adding strain to Williams' budget through crash damage.
At the same time, Vowles is still close with his former boss, Toto Wolff, and the pair may be planning to give Kimi Antonelli some racing experience at Williams this year before the 17-year-old's expected full-time debut for Mercedes in 2025.
"It's not like Toto is forcing him on us, no," Vowles, whose Grove based team is powered by Mercedes engines, said when asked about the young Italian driver.
"To be honest, I'd rather give Logan the chance to be successful. But if we can make the car faster, and we will make it faster, then I have a responsibility to make sure we finish as high in the championship as possible.
"If Logan can deliver at that point, that's great. If he doesn't, then I have to rethink my options."
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Not entirely ruling out something doesn't mean it'll happen, so once again, driver changes during the season aren't in the plan, & nothing will change in this regard as long as he doesn't say otherwise, so pointless speculation over & over again.
Logan's days as an F1 driver are numbered, but he'll see out the season as planned as long as nothing particular happens, & even in that case, Antonelli wouldn't necessarily become the temporary successor.
Sergeant has no chance to stay in F1. He had his chances, but did not work (remember Michael Andretti in F1?) for him. Sometimes is the car, the circuits, the general adaptation. One of the worst cases cases that I saw as waste of a driver for me, was Drugovich, he should have left Aston long time. It was more than clear that, with Alonso in 1 car, e the son's owner in the other, he would never get a chance there
Im all for Andretti in F1, however Michael Andretti didn't do himself any favours at Mcl , in-between races hed fly home instead of embedding himself into the team and learn his trade and the car, but youth knows best...
Shropp, your a star, why I'm I saying this is because you keep defending F1 in a good way, but if I have to be honest with myself F1 is falling to pieces, rules 'penalties spite between teams, engineers playing a big par t selling their knowledge to the highest bidder "wingers like LN saying why they didn't win Biased marshals & biased presenters, just for a start makes me wonder why I watch it anymore please tell me it will get better as sad as it may seem F1 is the only thing I look forward to.
Cheers, yeah , F1s definitely changed, for the better? ermm not really sure, all the above reasons and more nodoubt, suppose we cant stop the tech being involved but Lando Geez , every-time hes interviewed I think hes gonna burst into tears, we are definitely missing the Kimi effect, say it as it is Kimi.... as for team managers better now or in the recent past, personally im more of an EJ and Ron , style of speak/management, less pc and less bullshit, presenters , arggggg sure we all have our favourites but in the Lucy years the Sky and Bbc reporters were almost living with Lucy and Blondies pocket, F1 is too clinical these days Zero engine blow ups, seemingly almost computer guided cars with mode 7 and crtl alt delete crap, but biggest of all for me at the moment is the snitching on the radio, he went wide, he went wide shite much better sorted out the Senna and Schumi way with a confrontation in the pits .
We need real Racing, Hard racing, remember how hard almost , combatively hard the 21 season was fought-- that was Imo exciting, theres the 2nd half of the season, lets hope itll be a bit more like that, next reset which im optimistic about is 26, hopefully theyll be even more engine offset and reliability issues+aero challenges, making the racing better
So yeah, i believe it will get better (but not tomorrow)
Keep the faith