Despite failing to set a time in qualifying, Williams rookie Logan Sargeant has been granted exceptional permission to run in Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Sargeant’s misfortune occurred when he lost control of his Williams car at the final corner, resulting in a large crash that ended his qualifying attempt.
The Formula 1 ‘107 percent’ rule states that drivers must set a qualifying time that is within 107 percent of the fastest time recorded in Q1.
Falling short of this requirement, Sargeant faced the prospect of seeking permission from the race stewards to participate in the race.
Fortunately for the young driver, his plea was accepted, however on the condition that he start at the rear of the grid.
An official statement clarified the choice, saying, “In accordance with Article 39.4 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, the stewards grant permission for Car 2, Logan Sargeant, to start the race, as the driver has set satisfactory times in practice at this event.”
Sargeant, who is fighting for a Formula One future, voiced his disappointment after the incident and his failure to set a qualifying time.
Reflecting on the incident, he explained, “I just lost the rear on the exit of the last corner, and the grass creeps up on you quickly there as it comes back towards you.”
Despite the setback, he recognized the necessity to proceed, adding, “Yeah, it’s a tough one.
“All I need to do now is put it behind me.”
“What else can you do?”
“It’s finished.
“It had been a pretty good day up to that point.”
“I feel like I was pretty quick and was right where I needed to be.”
“Just another small mistake, hugely costly.”
Sargeant’s incident has far-reaching consequences for his team, Williams, in addition to his own racing ambitions.
Team principal James Vowles stated that the incident could have a long-term impact on the team’s car development.
Vowles stated, “For a number of races, Logan has been on an old aerodynamic package in a number of ways – actually, a bit of a hybrid.”
He ascribed this decision to the difficulty of obtaining parts as the season progressed.
Teams seek to avoid overproduction of parts under the cost cap requirements.
“We’ve had more attrition than expected, I think it’s fair to say,” Vowles continued.
“We have enough parts to deal with this accident as it is, but it will mean diverting attention away from other items in order to produce more spare parts before the end of the year.”
“In terms of what happens overnight, though, we’ll have plenty to be able to rebuild the car.”
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