F1 News: Williams Keeps Pressure On Logan Sargeant - 'Talking to Four or Five Drivers'

Williams team principal James Vowles has revealed that the team is "talking to four or five drivers" for a 2025 seat, keeping the pressure on Logan Sargeant whose contract expires at the end of this year.

Vowles confirmed that the squad is "evaluating drivers for '26 and '25" and revealed the necessity to stabilize their driver lineup before the upcoming 2026 regulation adjustments. He commented to Formula One, touching on the current rumors that Sargeant could be replaced by Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli:

“There was a rumour going around he’ll be in the car for Imola – he won’t be in the car for Imola.

“What we’re doing at the moment is evaluating drivers for ’26 and ’25, and what we really want is the right driver pairing for those two years, because when you go through a regulation change, you really don’t want to be changing drivers in ’26, so you’re looking for the right pairing for that period of time.

“There’s no doubt he’s got huge skill to him, but he was in a Formula 4 car 20 months ago. That’s where he is, it’s a very different proposition to most. We’ve been talking to four or five drivers at the moment for that period of time, and I’m quite happy to sit back a little bit and wait.”

The team has faced undeniable challenges this season. Williams and Sauber remain the only teams without points so far in 2024. An additional setback occurred during the Australian GP, where only Alex Albon could race after Logan Sargeant was sidelined due to the lack of a third chassis following a practice incident. This instability has fueled speculation regarding Sargeant's future with the team, although Vowles confirmed they will give the American driver more time to prove his spot for next year. He continued:

“More so than that, I have a duty and a responsibility to make this car faster first, because Alex [Albon] is a championship-level driver.

“We’ve just got to provide the right car for him, to be behind him. We haven’t yet, so my main focus is there, and that typically then unlocks other possibilities in the future.”