Logan Sargeant learns harsh F1 truth behind BRUTAL Williams axing

Logan Sargeant, Williams, Netherlands, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star learns harsh truth behind team’s BRUTAL axing

An F1 star was axed ahead of the Italian Grand Prix

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 31 August 2024 11:27

The truth behind the recent axing of a Formula 1 star has been revealed at the Italian Grand Prix this weekend.

F1 teams are no strangers to making brutal mid-season switches if their drivers are not performing, but this ex-grid member was dealt a particularly cruel exit.

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Red Bull are one team that are renowned for their ruthless driver decisions, most notably when they axed Pierre Gasly and Alex Albon from the team as they struggled to adapt to the role of Max Verstappen's team-mate.

In an even tougher comparison, Nyck de Vries was axed midway through last season for failing to perform at Alpha Tauri (VCARB), and was replaced for the rest of 2023 by Daniel Ricciardo.

Nyck de Vries was the last driver to be sacked midway through an F1 season

Logan Sargeant has been dropped from Williams' F1 lineup

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Why was Logan Sargeant axed from Williams?

Logan Sargeant is the most recent example of an F1 driver being axed mid-season, and has been replaced by Franco Colapinto for the rest of 2024.

Sargeant was the subject of a dramatic collision at the Dutch GP that saw his car burst into flames upon impact, causing millions in damages and therefore unable to compete in qualifying.

Williams boss James Vowles appeared unimpressed with Sargeant’s latest mistake, with the crash proving to be the last straw.

Following the decision to replace Sargeant, Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle provided an insight into the reason for the sacking.

“Formula 1 is not a finishing school it’s the pinnacle,” he said at the Italian GP.

Martin Brundle claims F1 is 'not a finishing school'

“If you don’t deliver then somebody else will come in and deliver that’s the way it operates, that’s the way you get your chance in the first place.”

“I’m not surprised they’ve had to make a change, nothing in Colapinto’s career to date shouts to me, ‘wow look out it’s going to be something special’, but I’ve learned over the decades to not judge anybody good or bad on their way in.”

“Let’s see how they do when the pressure is on.”

Colapinto, Sargeant's replacement, will get the chance to further prove himself at his first grand prix in Monza this weekend, having had the attention temporarily diverted away from him thanks to a spectacular crash in practice from fellow rookie, Kimi Antonelli.

Written by

Sheona Mountford - F1 Journalist

Sheona Mountford is a motorsport journalist specialising in F1. As a writer and contributor, she covers a wide range of motorsport series from F1 to F1 Academy, responsible for breaking news, live race coverage and in depth analysis of the sport and the culture around it.

View full biography

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton Formula 1 Kimi Antonelli Italian Grand Prix F1 teams