Rumor: Sargeant risks being sacked at end of season (2nd Update)

As American Logan Sargeant continues make mistakes and underperform, there are rumors emerging that Williams could axe him.

There are several reports suggesting that Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich could be a possible replacement for Logan Sargeant at Williams.

Felipe Drugovich has reportedly been “negotiating for weeks” with Williams, according to @Blickch

Sargeant’s performances so far in 2023 mean the door to an F1 seat could be “slowly opening” for the Brazilian Formula 2 Champion.

Drugovich declined an IndyCar test earlier this year. 

The Brazilian-Italian driver has an impressive record of racing in single-seater racing series. He has won in Formula 2000, Euroformula, Spanish Formula 3, and Formula 2.

Week-in-and week-out Sargeant continues to show he may not have what it takes to be an F1 driver – the best in the world.

Sargeant may have to step down a notch or two to IndyCar if his performance does not improve soon.

Two-time F1 champion Mika Hakkinen has raised concerns over the young drivers not getting enough time to prove their talents in the Formula 1.

The Flying Finn suggested that the lack of proper on-track testing made it difficult for the rookies to acclimatize to the F1 machinery. He recalled his early years in the sport in the early 90s when testing was not limited.

“It’s generally very difficult for young drivers these days,” he said to Sport1. “Before, in my time, there were a lot more tests, the drivers had time to develop, technically, in cooperation with the team.”

Hakkinen emphasized that it was “very difficult” for rookies to prove their worth in the current F1 structure.

“Today there are practically no more tests, you just sit in the simulator and are judged on it. It’s very difficult for the young drivers to show that they are developing, getting really good,” he said.

Hakkinen Daughter ‘A Special Talent’

Two-time Formula 1 world champion Mika Hakkinen says his 12-year-old daughter, Ella is a talented driver.

In a candid moment with Sport1, Hakkinen shared his thoughts on Ella’s budding racing ambitions: “She can do it,” he confidently expressed. He continued:

“But now my 12-year-old daughter Ella drives, as does my 9-year-old son Daniel. She’s very talented, really special, has a lot of power…

“I have to be very careful what I say now so that I don’t build up pressure. But racing today is looking for women, wants women. And she really loves racing. So I support them as best I can.”

“Making it into Formula 1 one day is of course a very tough road. If she wants to come here, she has to do everything, work very hard. Then she can do it. Of course I have experience of how to prepare for everything, up to how to win world championships. So I could help her to a certain extent. But of course you have to see how it develops…”

Nyck de Vries’ was sacked from the AlphaTauri team earlier this season, and now Logan Sargeant faces a similar sack.

Whereas de Vries was older and more experienced, Sargeant is young and just a rookie and typically a rookie needs two years to prove himself.

The spotlight has turned to Logan Sargeant, whose stint at Williams has seen a mixed performance, leaving his seat for the upcoming seasons in question.

Sargeant, a 22-year-old American, stepped into the full-time driver role for Williams this season.

Tasked with making a lasting impression, Sargeant took over from Nicholas Latifi but has grappled to establish a consistent presence on the leaderboard.

Having previously participated in Formula 2 and Formula 3, Sargeant’s transition to Formula 1 has been met with a mixture of moments of promise and rookie errors.

Despite glimpses of progress, including an impressive 11th-place finish at Silverstone and a 13th-place achievement in Austria, Sargeant has struggled to make a substantial impact.

In contrast, teammate Alex Albon has secured three top-10 finishes.

This disparity in performance has led to growing speculation regarding Sargeant’s future with the team.

Recent reports from Mirror Sport indicate that Williams is not actively seeking to replace Sargeant and is unlikely to make a mid-season change.

But the end of the season could see him terminated if he shows no glimpse of good performance.

In a recent interview with Autosport, Sargeant acknowledged, “Over the last few rounds, I feel like I’m much closer… I think I need to clean some things up.”

Sargeant has been candid about the learning curve he faces in adapting to the intricacies of Formula 1.