The Williams F1 Team has decided to replace Logan Sargeant with Academy Driver Franco Colapinto following a massive crash for the American during the weekend at Zandvoort.
The announcement was made Tuesday afternoon. Sargeant will no longer race for the Grove-based outfit, being replaced with Colapinto for the remainder of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
The decision comes after a series of disappointments from the Floridian driver, with team principal James Vowles putting increasing pressure on the rookie, hoping he would improve his performance.
However, that didn’t happen, and following a spectacular crash at Zandvoort that destroyed his FW46, Vowles made the decision to sack Sargeant and replace him with the Argentine rising star.
“To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season,” Vowles said in a statement.
“We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximize every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle.”
Vowles admitted the decision was “incredibly tough on Logan, who has given his all throughout his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude.”
A promising new beginning
Colapinto has been in the spotlight since the 2023 Formula 3 season, when he finished in P4 after scoring two victories. He then moved to 2022, and currently sits P6 in the championship.
“It is an honor to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of,” the Argentine said about his promotion to F1.
“The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can’t wait to be part of.
“Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge, and I’m fully focused on working as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success.”