The team announced that Albon’s damaged vehicle had been withdrawn and will be returned to the factory in Grove, England for repairs. Due to the unavailability of a third chassis, the team has decided that Alex will continue to compete for the rest of the weekend in the chassis previously driven by Logan Sargeant in FP1 and FP2, according to Williams.
Sargeant, who achieved only one point in his debut season last year while Albon’s 27 points helped Williams secure seventh place overall, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. In a statement, the 23-year-old American expressed, “This is the most challenging moment of my career and it is certainly not easy. However, I am fully committed to the team and will contribute in any way possible this weekend to maximize our performance.”
Team principal James Vowles expressed gratitude to Sargeant for his understanding, stating, “It is unacceptable in today’s Formula 1 to not have a spare chassis, but it reflects the shortcomings we faced during the winter period. This highlights the need for significant changes to put ourselves in a better position for the future. Consequently, we have had to make some very tough decisions this afternoon. While it is unfair for Logan to suffer due to a mistake he did not make, every race is crucial in a highly competitive midfield. Therefore, we made the decision based on our best chance to score points this weekend.”
Albon’s crash resulted in a red flag during the first session, as the Thai driver lost control and collided with the barrier at turn six, subsequently damaging both sides of his car by hitting the opposite barrier. Fortunately, Albon emerged unscathed. He admitted, “I must be completely honest and say that no driver would willingly give up their seat. I would never want something like this to happen. Logan has always been a consummate professional and a team player since day one, and this will undoubtedly be a difficult situation for him,” Albon added. (Reported by Alan Baldwin)