Logan Sargeant is in need of convincing Williams to secure his position at the Grove-based team for the upcoming season. The American driver has been facing uncertainty regarding his future in Formula 1 with Williams. The 2024 season has been particularly challenging for Sargeant, as he has yet to score any points and experienced a significant crash during free practice. Consequently, former F1 world champion Jenson Button believes that Sargeant, at 23 years old, may be under pressure to retain his job at Williams in 2025.
In the previous season, Sargeant only managed to score one point compared to his teammate’s 27 points. Button regarded the 2024 season as a crucial one for Sargeant. He emphasized that the American driver faces no less pressure to perform this season than he did during his rookie year. Button asserted that Sargeant has had a full season to assess and improve upon his strengths and weaknesses in Formula 1.
Button also reflected on Sargeant’s performance in his early career in go-karting. The former world champion acknowledged Sargeant’s talent and his numerous victories in karting. However, Button noted that success in the sport is heavily influenced by the driver’s mental state and ability to adapt. According to Button, Formula 1 is primarily a mental game.
The 2024 season has been nothing short of a nightmare for Williams, particularly in recent weekends. The team’s drivers have encountered multiple crashes, resulting in significant issues. Sargeant’s crash during the rendered his chassis unusable for the race weekend. As a result, Sargeant had to sit out of the race while Alexander Albon drove his chassis.
Button emphasized that Sargeant has a formidable teammate in Albon. This is evident from the British-Thai driver’s 26-point lead over Sargeant in the previous season. However, due to the chassis mishap at Grove, both drivers currently have zero points. Therefore, Button believes that Sargeant needs to actively participate in races to make a fair comparison.
Consequently, Williams must urgently address their performance since the start of the season and strive to score points. The team currently ranks last in the championship and needs to secure points soon. Additionally, Sargeant must begin to achieve results to ensure his continuation with the Grove-based constructor in Formula 1.