As the Formula 1 paddock begins the European leg of the calendar, team principals are already beginning to consider their driver line-ups for 2025.
The likes of McLaren and Ferrari can relax with their pairings set in stone for the foreseeable future, while others continue to assess their options before next season.
Speaking on the Driving to Wynn Podcast, journalist Fred Smith was talking about one driver who appears to be in a lot of danger of missing out next year.
Sauber signing Nico Hulkenberg has put Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu on red alert for next season.
Carlos Sainz is also looking for a new drive as well after Lewis Hamilton was signed by Ferrari for 2025.
However, Smith believes that Logan Sargeant has been ‘pre-fired’ by Williams for nearly a year now given his tough start to life in Formula 1.
He’s struggled to compete with teammate Alex Albon ever since his debut 28 races ago at the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix.
It’s no wonder that Williams are already assessing their options to potentially replace the American.
READ MORE: Williams driver Logan Sargeant’s life outside F1 from height to Donald Trump ties
Logan Sargeant already ‘pre-fired’ at Williams
Going into the season finale in Abu Dhabi last season, all eyes were on the Williams garage.
Nineteen out of the 20 seats on the grid had been confirmed for 2024 but Sargeant was still waiting to see if he would be retained.
Speculation was mounting with talented youngsters Felipe Drugovich and Liam Lawson asked about the prospect of replacing the rookie.
Eventually, Williams decided to stick with Sargeant, but there’s a suggestion that he was already ‘pre-fired’ at that point and he was simply a stop-gap until team principal James Vowles could bring in another driver.
With so much change expected on the grid next year, Vowles might sense an opportunity to partner Albon with a quicker, more experienced driver.
However, there’s also a suggestion that a highly-rated rookie might be on his way to Grove…
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Logan Sargeant’s difficult position at Williams explained
Talking about the 23-year-old’s prospects, Smith said: “They’ve got to replace him now or they’ve got to commit to him now.
“Anything in between is wasting everyone’s time. I would be happy for them to say, he’s here through 2025, the end of 2025, if we’re not happy we’re moving on.
“Or, I would be happy for them to just move on and give him a chance to do something else and maybe come back in two or three years.
“What they’re doing right now, is basically this man has been pre-fired for almost a year now.
“Certainly going back to the summer break last year, it’s been clear that Williams wasn’t happy with him and if your team principal’s talking in front of cameras about you, how are you going to rebuild that confidence? How are you going to get out of your own head?”
Who could replace Logan Sargeant at Williams?
If Sargeant is already ‘pre-fired’ which wouldn’t be a massive surprise at this stage, then Williams need to consider his replacement carefully.
Kimi Antonelli is being prepared by Mercedes as a potential replacement but wouldn’t be allowed to come in until the Italian Grand Prix due to his age.
Toto Wolff would also like to place Esteban Ocon at Williams if Antonelli isn’t ready for Formula 1 given Alpine’s struggles this year.
There’s also been a suggestion that Williams could be reunited with an old driver in 2025.
As explained above, Bottas is in danger of losing his seat to Nico Hulkenberg but Williams may offer him a way to stay in Formula 1.
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