Logan Sargeant has been told to improve his performance or risk losing his seat, Williams team principal James Vowles has confirmed.
Vowles indicated the team could make an announcement on the future of its driver line-up within the coming weeks.
Sargeant is in his second season of racing in Formula 1. He has only scored a single point so, at last year’s United States Grand Prix.
Neither Williams driver has scored so far this season. Sargeant had to sit out the Australian Grand Prix after team mate Alexander Albon damaged his car and Williams gave him the sole remaining chassis.
Vowles told Sky he’s “had a direct conversation” with Sargeant, “which is a very hard conversation when you do it.”
“But the simple matter of facts are, what I’ve already explained, is that he is at risk. That’s a simple matter of fact behind it.
“He has to perform above where he is. This is meritocracy. I’m helping him on that journey. I want him to be successful. But in the meantime, we are talking to a few other drivers because we have to get our ’25, ’26, ’27 line-up correct.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Sargeant’s future at the team became a subject of speculation at the previous round in Miami when it emerged the FIA had received a request to allow Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli to make his Formula 1 debut before his 18th birthday later this year.
Vowles said that “[in] a few weeks you’ll see some potential news in the area” but stressed “what I’m talking about is ’25, ’26 drivers. Nothing about the season.”
“What I’m talking about is how do we create the right foundations going forward on things,” he explained. “‘It will be me ready to say to the world ‘this is where we are’.
“Part of it is out of respect to Logan. I’ve given him an opportunity and these are where he has to step up towards things.”
Vowles, who became team principal for the first time when he joined Williams from Mercedes last year, said Sargeant’s performance will be the deciding factor in whether he continues at the team.
“I explained to him the controls are within his hands and there is absolutely things he can be doing in order to create an environment for him where he continues within Formula 1,” said Vowles. “It’s not the decision’s done. It’s not the door shut. That’s the whole point.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
“I believe in having a human conversation and a human…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at RaceFans…