More than ever in the eye of the storm, Logan Sargeant will not finish the season at Williams. The American driver’s huge off-track crash during the third free practice session of the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend at Zandvoort has exhausted the patience of his management. Already without a drive for the 2025 season, after the official announcement last month of Carlos Sainz’s arrival alongside Alexander Albon, he finds himself on foot sooner than expected.
Last Saturday, and while he had the latest developments prepared by the team on his single-seater, Logan Sargeant made a mistake at high speed on a wet track, after putting a wheel in the grass. The Williams was badly damaged before starting a fire, preventing its driver from participating in qualifying. The mechanics of the Grove team still managed to get the FW46 back in shape for a race that he finally finished in 16th place.
Faced with repeated errors and unconvincing progress, James Vowles has taken the decision to change drivers for the last nine Grands Prix of the season. From the Italian Grand Prix, Logan Sargeant will find himself on the sidelines, leaving behind a meager record of 36 starts in Formula 1 for only one point scored and nine retirements.
Contrary to what was expected, Williams will not turn to Mick Schumacher or Liam Lawson. The British team is opting for youth by taking advantage of this “opportunity” to throw Franco Colapinto, a member of its young driver program, into the deep end.
Franco Colapinto during private tests in Abu Dhabi, end of 2023.
Photo de: Williams
“Replacing a driver mid-season is not a decision we take lightly, but we believe it gives Williams the best chance of competing for points for the remainder of the year.”explains James Vowles. “We have just made a big upgrade to the car and we need to maximise every opportunity to score points in a remarkably tight midfield. We are also looking to invest in our young drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy, and Franco has a fantastic opportunity to show what he is capable of in the final nine rounds of the season.”
“This is undoubtedly incredibly tough for Logan, who has given his all throughout his time at Williams, and we would like to thank him for his hard work and positive attitude. Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him as he continues his motorsport career. I know Franco is very fast and has huge potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1.”
Born in 2003 in Buenos Aires, Franco Colapinto is currently competing in his first full season in Formula 2, a championship in which he is in sixth place with one victory to his name. Last year, he finished fourth in the Formula 3 season.
The 21-year-old driver already tested the Williams FW46 last month at Silverstone, taking part in the first free practice session for the British Grand Prix. He was then among the shortlist of candidates to drive for Williams in 2025, in case Carlos Sainz declined the offer.
“It’s an honour to make my Formula 1 debut with Williams, it’s a dream come true”he rejoices. “The team has an incredible history and is on a mission to get back to the front, and I can’t wait to be a part of it. Coming into F1 mid-season will be a huge learning curve but I’m up for the challenge, and I’m fully focused on working as best I can with Alex and the team to make it a success.”
This weekend at Monza, Franco Colapinto will become the first Argentinian driver to start a Grand Prix since Gaston Mazzacane at Imola in 2001 with the Prost GP team.
With Roberto Chinchero
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