An FP1 crash for Alex Albon broken his chassis past rapid restore. With Williams not having constructed up a spare tub, the group has opted to sacrifice Sargeant to enter Albon.
Group principal James Vowles concedes the choice to bench the American is “one of many hardest” he has needed to make within the job however acknowledges that the tight aggressive order has steered Williams to ‘put its cash’ on the motive force who’s extra more likely to rating factors.
Vowles admits that rebuilding Sargeant’s confidence will show “very troublesome” however insists the group nonetheless backs him to ship following the late resolution to re-hire him for 2024.
“No, I do not suppose that is the case,” replied Vowles when requested by Autosport whether or not the transfer was proof of Williams not having religion in Sargeant.
“The truth that I re-signed him exhibits you I place confidence in him. This yr, I believe you have seen he is been nearer to Alex than earlier than.
“Nevertheless, I’ve one automotive and only one automotive. There are 5 very quick groups taking over these prime 10 positions. There is no factors aside from for those who’re within the prime 10.
“There’s one level separating the underside 5 groups, for the time being. So, each level will make a distinction between now and the top of the yr.
“In that regard, you subsequently put your cash on the motive force that up to now, this yr, has been barely forward of the opposite one, which is Alex.
“So, I reset every part, [have] taken a view from Bahrain, taken the view from Saudi and brought the view from right here, which of the 2 drivers is most definitely to attain a degree.”
Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing
Photograph by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
When Albon was unable to contest FP2, Sargeant was not conscious he would get replaced for the rest of the occasion.
Requested how Williams would rebuild Sargeant’s confidence, Vowles replied: “At the beginning, it’s totally troublesome to do.
“You have got an elite athlete that is doing nothing however what I’ve requested him to do that yr. He hasn’t made a single mistake; he did not put a foot unsuitable throughout this yr.
“But, I’ve taken him out of the automotive. So, that may injury whether or not it is you in a automotive or him within the automotive, it could injury your confidence.
“One of many strategies I have been setting up with him up to now is construction, together with he and I speaking about the place his strengths are, and the place are his weaknesses, assist and assist by way of his environment in an effort to transfer him ahead.
“The reality behind it’s, with a racing driver, after they get within the automotive once more, which for him now might be in Japan, and he finally ends up inside milliseconds of Alex, which is what he is been doing the previous couple of races, you may see the boldness flows again anyway.
“He understands it is a group sport. It is the weirdest sport on the planet, the place I’ve bought two drivers, but it surely’s a group sport.”