Williams Racing has confirmed that Logan Sargeant will sit out the remainder of the Formula 1 season.
Sargeant, who had an underwhelming second F1 campaign, will be replaced by Franco Colapinto for Sunday’s Italian Grand Prix and the following races.
The 23-year-old American is set to leave Williams at the end of the season after his departure was confirmed over the summer break.
Carlos Sainz will replace Alex Albon from the 2025 season onwards.
Sargeant was still expected to race alongside Albon for the final nine races of 2024 despite his struggles on track.
However, after last weekend’s horrific crash at the Dutch Grand Prix that destroyed his Williams car, team principal James Vowles lost patience and immediately dropped him.
Sargeant lost control of his Williams in the wet conditions on the exit of Turn 3 and hit the barrier hard before spinning 270 degrees, the right-rear wheel of the car detaching as the accident occurred.
The rear of his car then burst into flames in a fiery orange blaze.
A worried George Russell ran to him and signalled for him to get out of the cockpit.
Sargeant, clearly shaken by the impact, climbed out of the Williams pit wall as instructed. ‘The car is on fire,’ race engineer Gaeto Jago told him. ‘Jump out. The car is on fire.’
The driver fell onto the barrier on the other side of the grass bank as the fire department rushed to the scene, albeit a little too late.
A red flag was waved as he headed to the medical centre for a precautionary check-up while his mangled car was taken away by truck.
Sargeant is 16th in the 20-man F1 standings this year after finishing 19th in his debut season.
The Florida-born driver joined the Williams driver academy in October 2021 after working his way up the ranks and impressing in Formula 2, 3 and 4.
He made his first practice appearance just over a year later before being confirmed as a driver for the team in 2023.
Meanwhile, Colapinto, 21, is a member of the Williams academy and made his FP1 debut at the British Grand Prix earlier this year.
He becomes the first Argentinian driver in F1 in 23 years and only the second to drive for Williams after Carlos Reutemann.
