New contender emerges as Logan Sargeant struggles to impress at Williams
As Logan Sargeant fights to retain his Williams seat, the team has reportedly been approached by Felipe Drugovich.
Sargeant arrived in Formula 1 with a great deal of hype, as the series welcomed in its first American driver to have taken to the grid since 2015.
The Williams Academy graduate though is so far struggling to live up to expectations as Alex Albon leads the Williams charge on-track.
Felipe Drugovich fresh threat to Logan Sargeant?
Sargeant is yet to score a point in his rookie F1 campaign, while Albon has delivered 21 as he single-handedly keeps Williams in prime position to secure P7 in the Constructors’ Championship.
Sargeant himself has admitted that he needs to cut out the errors, with the latest one arriving in Singapore when he hit the wall and required a new front wing, triggering the Safety Car, but it would appear that Williams now has Drugovich as an option should they need to make the call to axe their struggling rookie.
As per Blick, reigning Formula 2 champion and current Aston Martin reserve Drugovich has put himself on Williams’ radar. The Brazilian racer has recently been linked with a switch to Formula E with Andretti, and reportedly was snubbed by Alfa Romeo after an approach by the driver due to suspected “financial reasons”.
The report adds that Williams are holding fire on reaching their Sargeant verdict with two home races for the American driver, the United States and Las Vegas GPs, still to come.
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Mick Schumacher could retain Mercedes role with Alpine twist
While for much of the season Schumacher, axed by Haas at the end of F1 2022, has spoken with confidence about his efforts to return to the grid for 2024, at this stage the options are running out with the Williams door now closing.
Currently serving as Mercedes’ reserve driver and earning great praise from team boss Toto Wolff, as well as drivers Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, the report claims that Schumacher could continue with the eight-time Constructors’ champions for F1 2024, while joining Alpine for their World Endurance Championship charge.
Wolff recently confirmed that Mercedes would be happy for Schumacher to continue as their F1 reserve alongside any external project he takes on.
“Mick has a place here as a reserve driver, he is part of the family,” Wolff told media in Singapore. “We hope that he will stay in the role with us. We will give him time in the car.
“If he can get a WEC seat with another manufacturer, in Sportscars or somewhere else, he will always have that home base here.
“Whatever programme he does on the side, he can stay with us as a reserve driver if it’s possible from the other side.”
The next stop on the Formula 1 calendar is Suzuka, as the teams and drivers descend on the iconic venue for this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
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