Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing driver, suffered an accident during the early practice session of the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. This incident took place on April 5, 2024, during the fourth stage of the Formula 1 World Championship.
As a result of the accident, Sargeant will not be participating in the FP2 session on Friday at Suzuka. However, the good news is that he escaped unharmed, with no damage to his FW46 chassis, which had been previously repaired and sent back to the team in Melbourne, Australia. The chassis had been damaged in a previous accident involving Sargeant’s teammate, Alex Albon, during the opening practice of the Australian Grand Prix.
During the first Formula 1 session in Japan, Sargeant went off track at Dunlop corner, a fast right-hand turn. This caused him to collide with the barriers, damaging the rear left and front part of his car. Now, Williams faces a race against time to repair the car in time for the FP2 session, although team principal James Vowles acknowledges that the extensive damage will make this task challenging.
Unfortunately, the damage suffered by Sargeant’s car proved to be too extensive to be repaired in time for the session. However, the chassis itself remained intact, providing some relief. Vowles described the damage as significant, affecting the suspension, gearbox, and other components.
Vowles also explained that Sargeant’s off-track incident occurred at the top of a hill, where the driver had difficulty determining his position on the track. It seems that Sargeant was not aware of the grassy area off the track and accidentally put a wheel on it.