Mick Schumacher F1 Comeback Possible if Sargeant Doesn’t Deliver at Williams
The young Schumacher may not have impressed at Haas, but he could get a shot at redemption next year.
In Formula 1, it's often said that the first person you have to beat is your teammate. Logan Sargeant hasn't achieved that this year, and his seat could be up for grabs next season. Rumor has it now that Mick Schumacher is in the running to replace him at Williams.
Sargeant has thus far failed to shine in his debut year in F1. As the silly season arrives and drivers start playing musical chairs, the fate of his seat at Williams has been the topic of much speculation. Pundit Lawrence Barretto for Formula 1 notes the American may be replaced at the end of 2023, with Mick Schumacher the main driver in the running.
Schumacher would be an apt selection for Williams. He was already in talks with the team late last year, before the seat he was vying for ultimately went to Sargeant instead. He also remains sharp through his work as a reserve driver for Mercedes, where he has been praised for his efforts by teammates George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.
Williams and Mercedes retain a strong relationship, not least of all as the latter supplies engines to the Oxfordshire-based squad. Schumacher may not have been particularly impressive during his stint with Haas, but he has some experience and he is available. That might be enough for Williams to take a punt on the German.
To hold his seat, Sargeant would be well advised to up his game across the board. There's a gap between him and teammate Alex Albon, most obviously in qualifying, which is only making his job harder when it comes time to go racing on Sunday. Improved consistency and a points finish or two would go a long way to shoring up his case to stay at Williams.
Sargeant's average finishing position has been 16th, barring DNFs in Australia, Canada, and Hungary. His best performance was 11th at the British Grand Prix. Albon, on the other hand, has achieved an average finish of 12th, and a best of 7th in the Canadian Grand Prix. Meanwhile, where Albon's best qualifying result was 8th in both Australia and Britain, Sargeant has only slotted as high as 14th on the grid.
Williams currently sits seventh in the Constructors' standings on 11 points, all of which were scored by Alex Albon. It's just ahead of Haas on countback, with the American-licensed team similarly scoring 11 points thus far. Alfa Romeo is close behind on 9 points, and AlphaTauri lags behind with just 3.
Williams is unlikely to go the brutal AlphaTauri route of dropping Sargeant mid-season. However, if he doesn't improve, he might just make way for the son of one of the most successful F1 drivers of all time. With ten races remaining, there's everything left to play for.
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