Welcome to FanAmp's new series: Word on the Track! The Formula 1 rumor mill is always spinning, so Terry Widdows from Coffee Corner Motorsport is here to shine a light on the facts, figures, and break down the real stories behind the headlines.
Since this article was published FRANCO COLAPINTO was announced to be replacing Logan Sargeant for the rest of the 2024 F1 Season
As Logan leapt from the burning Williams after his crash in FP3 at Zandvoort - the camera panned to a look of disappointment in the Williams garage and pit wall.
The heavily upgraded FW46, which was showing promise, was shattered into bits all over the track. Many are now predicting Logan’s F1 career looking oddly similar to that broken car.
Over the next few days James Vowles has an important decision to make.
Does he continue with Logan until the end of the season? Or does he make the call now and replace him?
There are so many unknowns in all of these scenarios. Each option does not promise to deliver anything better than what's currently happening on track, so this makes each one a gamble in its own right. Let's have a look into the options and pros and cons of each.
Some may say this is the easiest option for the team. There are only a few races left in the 2024 season and the team are used to working with Logan. Of course, we can't overlook the added features of races in the US still to come, which will be lucrative for the team.
At the moment there is little negative PR around the call to replace Logan- other than the small group of fans rallying for his support. The fact that they have signed a driver of the calibre of Carlos Sainz makes this good for the team. There are not many, if indeed any, who would choose retain Logan over Carlos, so the fact that he has been replaced in only 9 races has been widely met with enthusiasm from the fan base - allowing them to make this switch easily.
However, there is the cost impact of keeping Logan. The damage he has caused to the FW46 is in the millions and has a massive impact on the cost cap. If the crashes continue the team will be forced to scale back updates, etc... to compensate for this as they adjust their budget.
For a team who are using the second half of their development in 2024 to prepare for their 2025 challenger this money and time is crucial. This reason is why they are actively exploring other options.
The second option is a switch out with another driver. Now, this could be done as early as Monza, which is why Williams need to move fast with this.
The first option to swap drivers is Liam Lawson. Liam is available and has that impressive stint with what was Alpha Tauri last year when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo under his belt. He is on the Red Bull shortlist for next season for one of their four seats and would love the opportunity to show the team what he can do... Maybe even taking the fight to Yuki and Daniel. This is a fact that I am sure is not lost on Red Bull and may even be a major factor in allowing this loan.
On paper it does seem a win-win for both teams: Red Bull would get the chance to see how Liam is doing on track before they finalize their 2025 lineup - which I am sure would prove extremely helpful. Williams would get a driver with a point to prove. Most importantly, Liam would get the chance to drive...
So what's the issue? That sounds good, and when you think the crossover between Red Bull and Williams is already there from when Alex Albon initially joined Red Bull it seems perfect.
The issue though is Christian Horner and Red Bull…. For a move to happen Christian wants a recall feature added into any move for two reasons:
If Red Bull continue to struggle and Sergio doesn't find his form, then with the Constructors Championship at risk, Christian still wants the ability to make a driver switch.
The stumbling block here is that Williams are refusing this outright as they feel it would be wrong to have to make another driver change later on, so are refusing this option of a recall.
This, then brings us nicely into option three and Mick Schumacher.
Originally the talk was that Mercedes were keen to get Kimi Antonelli in the Williams before he most likely takes up a role as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement for next season. (Look out for that announcement coming this week in Monza.)
Toto, though, after Zandvoort seemingly put that rumor to bed, saying he wants Kimi to get experience in F2 for the remainder of this season but he would like to see Mick in the Williams. Mick is, of course, driving for Alpine in the WEC series, but we know he has an F1 clause in that should he get the opportunity to come back. He is the Mercedes reserve driver which is not only James Vowles former employer but also their engine and parts supplier.
Mercedes can give them the driver security Williams are after as they have a wide range of reserve drivers they can call up to replace Mick from Frederik Vesti to even Stoffel Vandoorne, who shares the Aston Martin reserve duty with Felipe Drugovich, as options for Mercedes to let Mick go. Mick has impressed in tests he has been doing for Alpine as they evaluated him along with Jack Doohan before opting for Jack for 2025... But there was talk that Mick's times were actually faster than Jack.
This is not a point lost on Sauber, who are still evaluating Mick for their 2025 seat vacancy. Mick would love the chance of showing what he can do. Toto would also like Mick to get a drive for 2025 as another success story for the team after doing similar with Esteban Ocon before. Let's be honest here, having Mercedes owe you a favour is always a good position to be in for a team like Williams.
The downside to all of this is the reputation Mick has with regards to damage from his time at Haas.... Some would argue unfairly as the car had little to no investment at that point but that doesn’t escape the fact that his time at Haas still cost the team a lot of money. Considering this, Williams could be left in the same position as keeping Logan.
A factor not to be overlooked though is that Mick also comes with some very high profile backing to get him in the car from Toto, Sebastian Vettel, and former Williams driver and uncle Ralf Schumacher. Plus, I'm sure the marketing team would love seeing the Schumacher name once more on an F1 car.
The outside bet - but one that needs to be looked at - is the promotion of Franco Colapinto from the junior seat.
This is the most unlikely of the options, but does come with some benefits. The move would give Franco some great experience in an F1 Car - safe that Carlos is coming in - meaning the pressure would be minimal in terms of trying to secure a seat. Franco also has some heavy backing financially in Argentina with companies like Globant who would love to see - and indeed be willing to fund - such a move just to have their name on an F1 car for a few races. Especially considering the US, Mexico, and Las Vegas GP’s are still to come. Whilst this money can’t help change the cost cap, adding it into the bottom line would help offset the risk.
That risk is the result the same as Logan, Franco is a complete unknown and it could also do more damage to his confidence and the FW46 if it doesn't go well.
As you can see there are a lot of pros and cons for James to weigh up before we hit the track in Monza which is fascinating to see and leads into the question….
Who would you pick?
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