Why is Logan Sargeant not driving for Williams at the Australian Grand Prix?

Logan Sargeant will not drive for Williams at the Australian Grand Prix after Alex Albon’s car was damaged beyond repair during the first practice session.

Albon lost control of his FW46 at the exit of Turn 6 at Albert Park, going over the kerbs and spinning into the wall on the other side of the track.

The 27-year-old was unharmed in the crash, but the damage done to the chassis during FP1 meant that the car could not be fixed for the rest of the weekend’s running.

Williams therefore took the bold – if not rather brutal – decision of putting Albon in Logan Sargeant’s car, meaning that the American will now no longer compete at the Australian Grand Prix.

Here is all you need to know about the events that unfolded in Melbourne.

Why is Logan Sargeant not racing at the Australian Grand Prix?

The 23-year-old, in his second year of F1, has been sacrificed by the team after Albon’s crash. Williams confirmed that they do not have another chassis at the track, meaning that the Sargeant will hand over his car to his teammate for the rest of the weekend.

Why can’t Williams repair Albon’s car?

The damage sustained to Albon’s car was so great that the team needed a third chassis to replace the broken one, but Williams do not have a spare with them at the Albert Park Circuit.

What has James Vowles said about it?

Williams Racing team principal, James Vowles, has labeled the situation that the team find themself in as “unacceptable”.

“We are hugely disappointed that the damage sustained to the chassis has meant we need to withdraw it from the weekend,” Vowles said in an official team statement.

“It’s unacceptable in modern day Formula 1 not to have a spare chassis, but it is a reflection of how behind we were in the winter period and an illustration of why we need to go through significant change in order to get ourselves in a better position for the future.

“As a result, we have had some very difficult decisions to make this afternoon. While Logan should not have to suffer from a mistake that he did not make, every race counts when the midfield is tighter than ever, so we have made the call based on our best potential to score points this weekend.

“This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his graceful acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player. This will prove a tough weekend for Williams, and this situation is not one that we will put ourselves in again.”

What has Logan Sargeant said about the decision?

“This is the hardest moment I can remember in my career and it’s absolutely not easy,” Sargeant said.

“I am however completely here for the team and will continue to contribute in any way that I can this weekend to maximise what we can do.”

What has Alex Albon said?

“I have to be totally honest and say that no driver would want to give up his seat,” Albon began.

“I would never want anything like this to happen. Logan has always been a consummate professional and a team player from day one, and this won’t be an easy one for him to take.

“At this point though, I cannot dwell on the situation and my only job now is to maximise our potential this weekend and work with the whole team to make sure we do the best job possible.”

Will Williams only have one driver at the Australian Grand Prix?

Yes, the damage to Albon’s chassis means that only Sargeant’s car will be able to run for Williams, but Albon will be behind the wheel.

Why did Williams choose Albon over Sargeant?

Albon is by far the more experienced driver for the team. Sargeant has only raced in one full season, last year, picking up a solitary point for Williams in 2023.

Albon, meanwhile, finished last season with 27 points to his name. The team therefore believe that Albon has a better chance of Sargeant to score points at the Australian Grand Prix.

Have 19 cars ever lined up on an F1 grid before?

Yes, although rare, it is not entirely unheard of for an incomplete grid to line up for lights out. At the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc qualified on pole, but a gearbox issue prevented him from competing in the iconic street race.