Will Buxton has shared a revelation about Williams after speaking to rival F1 teams up and down the grid.
Williams only ran one car at the Australian Grand Prix last time out after an accident for Alex Albon in practice.
And writing on his official Twitter account, Buxton relayed his findings about the team’s predicament.
Albon broke the chassis of his FW46 car when he hit the wall in the opening session at Albert Park.
Williams weren’t able to repair it in time for the rest of the weekend, and didn’t have any spares available.
Team principal James Vowles decided to put Albon behind the wheel of Logan Sargeant’s car, and bench the American.
This was on the basis that the Thai driver, who scored 27 of the team’s 28 points last year, offered them a better chance of a top-10 finish.
Albon was agonisingly close to getting the team off the mark on race day as he came home in 11th.
Williams will be able to run both of their cars as normal this weekend after fixing Albon’s original chassis at their Grove base.
Will Buxton says Williams aren’t the only team without a spare chassis
F1TV presenter Buxton says that, having spoken to the rest of the grid, he’s found out that other teams don’t have a spare chassis available either.
He wrote: “Amidst the continuing fallout following the Williams chassis issues in Australia and the knock on for Japan, worthy of note that having spoken to all teams today I’ve discovered Williams are not the only outfit in the pitlane who are running without a spare chassis.”
The nine-time constructors’ championship winners overhauled their processes during the winter under the instruction of Vowles, leading to production delays.
They’re one of three teams yet to score a point after the first three rounds alongside Sauber and Alpine.
Will Carlos Sainz join Williams for 2025?
Williams’ decision to sideline Sargeant at the Australian GP appears to indicate a lack of faith in the 23-year-old.
Vowles previously told him he would have to be the ‘surprise of the season’ to retain his drive for 2025 after a difficult rookie campaign.
Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has questioned why the team re-signed Sargeant in the first place.
One journalist says only a ‘miracle’ can prevent him losing his spot at Williams at the end of the season.
Another reckons that they could make a change even sooner, potentially calling up Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli from F2 if Sargeant doesn’t improve before the Italian Grand Prix in September.
Meanwhile, Williams also appear to be exploring a potential move for Carlos Sainz.
Sainz is currently without a team for the 2025 season after Ferrari moved him aside for the incoming Lewis Hamilton.
However, journalist Lawrence Barretto says his management held talks with the iconic British squad last year amid uncertainty over his future at Maranello.
Sargeant’s teammate Alex Albon is under contract for next year, but F1Oversteer understands that he’s now entering discussions over his future.
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