It’s been revealed that Logan Sargeant cost Williams more in car damages than any other driver in 2023, with the figure being more than four times his salary.
Sargeant’s rookie campaign was a very difficult one, as the American driver took a considerable amount of time to settle into the sport.
This was highlighted by his tendency to crash, with Williams having spent £3.4 million this year repairing his car.
It’s a staggering sum that the rookie has racked up, especially as his salary is more than four times less than the figure.
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According to RacingNews365.com, Sargeant earned just £820,000 in 2023, a miniscule amount compared to Max Verstappen, who was paid £40 million by Red Bull, excluding bonuses.
The Williams driver is actually the only member of the 2023 grid yet to be confirmed for 2024, as a result of team principal James Vowles wanting to take his time to make a decision.
Most expect the young driver to be given a second season to prove himself; however, Vowles has revealed that no matter what decision is reached, Sargeant will “always remain” as part of the Williams Academy.
“Whatever happens Logan has been part of the Williams Academy for many years, and will always remain a part of our academy, and he is a quick driver, but if we step away from that – if you look at the last five races on how he has improved and is stepping forward,” Vowles told F1 TV, as per Crash.net.
“You can see signs that what he is doing is what he needs to earn the seat, but we aren’t in a position to confirm that. We’re proud of the steps he has made this season.”
Sargeant did actually show very good pace in the closing rounds of 2023, with him having progressed to Q3 at the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix.
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The American driver did also score a point at the United States Grand Prix, which helped Williams beat AlphaTauri to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship.
He just crashed too often during his debut campaign, something which is far from ideal for a team like Williams who don’t have the biggest of budgets.
Should Sargeant be retained, then he’ll need to cut out his habit of crashing at most events.