Formula 1 is a cutthroat sport, and that has been made evident again at the Australian Grand Prix.
Williams have made the controversial decision to put Alex Albon in Logan Sargeant’s car following a crash in practice.
This will see the American sit out the remainder of the weekend in Melbourne.
The Sporting News takes a closer look at the situation.
MORE: Has there been an Australian F1 world champion?
Where is Logan Sargeant? Williams F1 driver withdrawn after Alex Albon crash
Albon lost control of his Williams car in FP1 on Friday, slamming into barriers on both sides of the track at Albert Park.
The damage sustained was significant and required a new chassis.
However, Williams did not bring a spare chassis to Australia, so Albon’s car was officially withdrawn from the remainder of the Grand Prix weekend.
Watch the crash below:
The moment Alex Albon brought out the red flags 💥#F1 #AusGP pic.twitter.com/Osz5naXKQR
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 22, 2024
The team then announced Albon would drive Sargeant’s car during FP3, qualifying and the race.
“While Logan should not have to suffer from a mistake that he did not make, every race counts when the midfield is tighter than ever, so we have made the call based on our best potential to score points this weekend,” Williams boss James Vowles said.
“This decision was not made lightly, and we cannot thank Logan enough for his graceful acceptance, demonstrating his dedication to the team; he is a true team player.
“This will prove a tough weekend for Williams, and this situation is not one that we will put ourselves in again.”
Sargeant admitted it was a challenging decision to swallow.
“This is the hardest moment I can remember in my career and it’s absolutely not easy,” he said.
“I am however completely here for the team and will continue to contribute in any way that I can this weekend to maximise what we can do.”
MORE: Why F1 fans can’t enter the track in Melbourne this year
Alex Albon vs. Logan Sargeant: Head-to-head record in F1
While Williams’ decision is a contentious one, it is understandable considering the results-oriented nature of F1.
Albon trumps Sargeant in almost every key metric.
In the 24 Grand Prix they have competed in together, the Thai driver has out-qualified his American teammate every time.
Albon also has a superior points total over the past two seasons (27) to Sargeant (1).
Albon vs. Sargeant: H2H record in F1 (2023 and 2024)
Data via formula1points.com.
| Albon | Sargeant | |
| Points | 27 | 1 |
| Wins | 0 | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 | 0 |
| Best race finish | 7th | 10th |
| Qualifying H2H | 24 | 0 |
F1 Melbourne schedule: What time is Australia qualifying?
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Date | Sat, March 23 | Sat, March 23 | Sat, March 23 | Sat, March 23 | Sat, March 23 |
| Time | 5:00 a.m. GMT | 1:00 a.m. ET | 1:00 a.m. ET | 4:00 p.m. AEDT | 10:30 a.m. IST |
F1 Melbourne schedule: What time is the Australian Grand Prix race?
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Date | Sun, March 24 | Sun, March 24 | Sun, March 24 | Sun, March 24 | Sun, March 24 |
| Time | 4:00 a.m. GMT | 12:00 a.m. ET | 12:00 a.m. ET | 3:00 p.m. AEDT | 9:30 a.m. IST |
