Williams experienced yet another setback at the Japanese Grand Prix when Logan Sargeant’s FW46 crashed during FP1 at Suzuka, raising concerns that they may only be able to field one car for the second consecutive race.
During the initial practice session in Japan, Sargeant experienced a loss of control at the fast Dunlop corner when his right-hand wheels touched the grass. This resulted in a significant collision with the barriers, preventing him from participating in FP2.
Despite extensive damage to the car’s nose, gearbox, and suspension, Williams was relieved to find that the American’s chassis remained undamaged.
At the Australian Grand Prix, the F1 team based in Grove was only able to field one car. This was due to Sargeant willingly giving up his seat after the chassis of the other car was damaged beyond repair by Alex Albon’s crash during practice.
Despite not having a third chassis available, James Vowles had to make the tough call of informing Sargeant that Albon would be taking over his car for the remainder of the weekend, even though it was not the fault of the 23-year-old driver.
Despite the bad-looking collision, Team Principal Vowles has confirmed that Sargeant’s chassis is still intact.
“When questioned about the extent of the damage, Vowles stated, “It is quite significant.”However, he reassured that the chassis remained unharmed. Unfortunately, most of the other parts were affected. This includes the suspension on all sides and a cracked gearbox, resulting in substantial damage.”
Despite the difficulty, we will make every effort to have the car ready for FP2. However, the damage is significant, so it will require a considerable amount of time to repair.
Sargeant has verified that he is utilizing Albon’s fixed chassis from the Australian Grand Prix, while his teammate retains the American’s initial car. The team anticipates a third chassis to be ready for use at the Miami Grand Prix in May.
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