Formula 1 is a brutal sport and despite all the moving pieces in the driver’s market, it’s easy to get a sense of whether your time on the grid is up or not weeks or even months before you receive official confirmation.
For example, after three seasons on the grid, Williams driver Nicholas Latifi had run out of chances to impress and it’s not a surprise that teams weren’t looking at the Canadian once his contract expired in 2022.
Former F1 race winner Juan Pablo Montoya was speaking on the W Radio Colombia YouTube channel about the future of another driver who might be in trouble.
The 2025 grid is beginning to take shape with Sergio Perez and Yuki Tsunoda signing him new deals in recent weeks.
Less than half of next year’s seats are now available and with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg the only confirmed drivers to swap teams, the next few moves are going to be crucial.
Montoya has now suggested that Williams driver Logan Sargeant already knows that he’s going to lose his seat for next year.
Although he hasn’t received official confirmation, team principal James Vowles hasn’t shared his pursuit of another driver on the grid.
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Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Logan Sargeant already knows he won’t be at Williams in 2025
It can’t be a nice feeling for Logan Sargeant to know that his seat is being courted by several teams on the grid.
Normally in that scenario, you would want your boss to back you up and give you the confidence boost you need.
Vowles tried that before the start of the campaign but admitted the Sargeant had to be the surprise of the season to justify having his contract renewed for a second year.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case with Sargeant yet to score a point and rooted to the bottom of the Drivers’ Championship.
In tricky conditions in Canada, he did himself no favours by being the first driver to retire having already spun earlier in the race.
Vowles is desperate to sign Carlos Sainz from Ferrari next year and has already made an offer to the Spaniard.
Montoya believes Sargeant is already aware that his future lies away from Williams in 2025.
He’s given the young American some advice on what he should do next.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Logan Sargeant told to pursue other series ahead of a potential F1 exit
Talking about Sargeant’s future, Montoya said: “I think the best thing could have happened and he already knows it [he’s leaving].
“But they haven’t told him officially that he will no longer be on the team.
“The moment they tell him, ‘Look, thank you very much for the last few years, we gave you the opportunity, it didn’t work out, what a shame’, with that they can tell him to relax, focus on your future and whatever comes.
“With that, Logan [Sargeant] is going to relax much more, he is no longer fighting for that seat and it really is very difficult for him to be in Formula 1.
“For Logan, at this moment, I would be looking, first I would talk to everyone to see if there is any interest from a team.
“And on the other hand, start to look at IndyCar, start looking at the WEC, start looking at the other options for next year.
“He has had a difficult time and it is difficult and if you look at the work he did in F3 and F2, it was very good.
“It’s sad because if you ask [Alex] Albon, Albon says that he’s very fast, he does a very good job, but he makes a lot of stupid mistakes.”
Sargeant has to concentrate on closing the gap to teammate Alex Albon in the coming races but even that may not be enough to preserve his seat until the end of 2024.
The FIA lowering the age to earn a Super License has once again put the focus on Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli who has been linked with his seat.
Montoya thinks Sargeant knows he won’t be in F1 in 2025, but his exit might end up being much sooner than that.
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