F1 Insider Reveals What 'Broke Logan Sargeant Down' Ahead Of Williams Exit

F1 pundit Tom Coronel reveals what 'broke Logan Sargeant down' ahead of Williams exit at the end of the current season.

Williams Racing driver Logan Sargeant of United States talks to fans at the Driver Engagement event at the Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Friday October 20, 2023. / Jay Janner/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

American driver Logan Sargeant's stint with Williams Racing has been a tumultuous chapter in his Formula 1 career. Carlos Sainz will replace the American driver, pairing with Alex Albon for the upcoming seasons. This marks a significant moment for Sargeant, bringing his challenging time at Williams to an end.

From the outset, Sargeant was seen as a promising talent alongside his veteran teammate Albon. However, Sargeant's time at Williams has been plagued by performance inconsistencies. During his first year, Albon scored 27 points for the season, with Sargeant contributing just a single point.

So far this year, Sargeant's equipment frequently lagged behind Albon’s in terms of updates and specifications, revealing a potential inequality in machinery. This, combined with continuous rumors and speculation about his position, significantly impacted his performance. The situation reached a point where, at the Australian Grand Prix, Sargeant had to relinquish his car to Albon following a practice session incident.

Dutch F1 pundit Tom Coronel has analysed Sargeant's time with Williams, stating in the Dutch publication Formule 1 Magazine, as quoted by Planet F1:

“There is always a lot of political fuss and bother around Logan Sargeant and that breaks him down.

“He has been driving Formula 1 at Williams for over a year and a half now and hasn’t really shown anything yet. And that’s too little, even for a team like Williams.

“He is not yet allowed to tie the laces of Alex Albon, his teammate. Sargeant has been weighed and found to be too light, far too light. That’s basically the whole story.”

He continued:

“Sargeant is driving way too much damage,” he said.

“With that, you not only dupe yourself as a driver, but also your team. All those damages cost serious money, which you’d rather spend elsewhere.

“With all those damages, you automatically end up in a negative spiral from which it is difficult to escape. Sometimes I think: ‘What on earth are you doing?’ It is logical and right that Williams will say goodbye to him after this year and continue with Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon as their line-up.”

As the 2024 season advances, Williams has accumulated just four points—all credited to Albon. This stark contrast in team contribution encapsulates the difficulties Sargeant has faced and the rationale behind Williams’ decision to move forward with Sainz and continue developing their car with Albon.

Looking forward, Sargeant remains hopeful about securing new opportunities in motor racing, planning to use the summer break to finalize his plans.