Sargeant posts, then retracts response to Williams exit

Logan Sargeant has given an initial reaction to the news that he has been dropped by Williams for the rest of the season in favour of Franco Colapinto, but subsequently deleted it.

The team announced on Tuesday evening that the 23-year-old American from Fort Lauderdale, Florida would no longer drive for the team after 36 outings for the squad since the start of 2023.

Sargeant had been underfire for some time having secured only one championship point in his time with Williams, with no top ten finishes this season. He's also been whitewashed in qualifying by team mate Alex Albon.

Steadily worsening relations between Sargeant and the team culminated in last week's huge smash in practice at Zandvoort when Sargeant totalled a car fitted with all of the squad's latest upgraded components.

Sargeant had already learned he would leave the team at the end of 2024 to make way for Carlos Sainz. Many had been surprised that the team hadn't dropped him over the summer rather than in the short week between the Dutch and Italian GPs.

• Read also: Williams drops Sargeant, Colapinto to race from Monza

When he was asked at Zandvoort about rumours the finish to his time in F1 could come sooner than expected, Sargeant said: “I hear them every weekend, so it’s nothing new. I couldn't care less.”

It seems his crash last week did indeed prove to be the final straw for team principal James Vowles, who decided to sign Colapinto to take over the seat for the rest of the season with immediate effect at Monza this weekend.

“To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly,” Vowles said in the official press release. “But we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season.

Sargeant did not contribute to that press release, but he briefly issued a since-deleted message on his personal social media app that was seen and reprinted by RacingNews365.

"After today's news, I wanted to say that I am super thankful to Williams Racing for giving me my first opportunity in Formula 1," he wrote.

"I am so grateful for the support I received from everyone at the team from the moment I first joined the Academy back in 2021.

"Going on to drive an F1 car for the first time in Abu Dhabi was the experience of a lifetime, while becoming the first American points scorer for 30 years in Austin last season was a really special moment.

"I am proud to have represented such a historic team over the last two seasons. For now, I will be taking time to assess my options, before making an announcement on my future in due course."

Among the options that Sargeant is believed to be considering is heading to the US open wheel IndyCar series, with a potential seat at the newly formed Prema Indy squad.

Sargeant's team mate at Williams for the last season and a half, Alex Albon, gave a more enduring and rather heartfelt response of his own on Instagram to the news.

“I know first-hand how brutal this sport can be and it’s tough to see Logan leave the team mid-season,” Albon wrote, alluding to his own sacking by Red Bull before he landed his feet at Williams.

“You gave it your all brother and it’s been a pleasure being team-mates with you," he added. “I know whatever you do next you’ll be awesome.”

Vowles said that Williams would endeavour to support Sargeant in whatever he turned his hand to next. "Logan remains a talented driver," he said in yesterday's team PR.

"This is undoubtedly 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."

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