Is it feasible for Antonelli to replace Sargeant at Williams in 2024?

At the end of 2023, there was redemption for Sargeant after all. Williams gave him another year. James Vowles expressed confidence in the driver despite many doubts about him in the paddock. In 2023, he failed to qualify ahead of Alexander Albon, finished every race behind his teammate, and caused costly damage.

In 2024, however, Sargeant has yet to pay off that confidence. In the first five Grands Prix, Sargeant again finished (well) behind his teammate in qualifying and the race every time. How he stands within the team also became painfully clear in Australia when Albon was given the only remaining chassis. This was Sargeant's chassis, and the American was not at fault for the crash. Sargeant could watch from the sidelines for the rest of the weekend.

Why Sargeant is under pressure at Williams

Sargeant's confidence then got another knock during the weekend in Japan, where he parked his car in the wall. Things were not much better in China, where Sargeant spun in qualifying on the last lap in Q1. Albon advanced to the next qualifying section, and Sargeant had to start the Grand Prix from the back. This eventually turned into a pitlane start.

There are also doubts about Sargeant's contract. Williams said Sargeant would also be in action for the team in 2024, but is that a full-year deal? Ralf Schumacher previously stated that it is not. According to the German, Sargeant has a per-race contract, which means Williams could also part with him at any time. Williams would not comment on these rumours about Sargeant's contract.

Nevertheless, the moment that Williams will say goodbye to Sargeant seems imminent. Joe Saward was able to report that Williams are looking for a new driver. Not just for 2025, but this season. When GPblog inquired with Williams, the team responded: "We have an exciting driver line-up and our focus is on the year ahead. We always have an eye on the future, but our focus is on delivering maximum success in 2024."

A definitive denial of the rumours is lacking. Still, there does seem to be a problem for Williams. According to Saward, the team is said to have Andrea Kimi Antonelli in mind as Sargeant's replacement. However, the Mercedes junior is only 17 years old and thus not old enough to qualify for a super licence. That minimum age was set after Max Verstappen's debut in 2015.

Can Antonelli make his debut in F1?

Enquiries with the FIA reveal that the regulations do not allow for dispensation for Antonelli either. The Italian turns 18 on 25 August and can only then be eligible for a super licence. For Williams, therefore, it seems it will be difficult to bring in the young driver before then.

Besides, it remains to be seen whether Antonelli himself is strong enough to make the switch to F1 at this stage. The Italian has just finished a few races in Formula 2, which was a big step up for him from Formula 4. To then advance to F1 after just three races might be a bit too much. Mercedes, the team representing Antonelli's interests, does not see a quick switch for Antonelli. The team points out that Antonelli is simply too young for the rules and that his focus is on F2 and testing in Mercedes' F1 car. Antonelli will also return to action in an old Mercedes at the Imola circuit this weekend.

Should Antonelli still not be feasible, there are a few options that might be of interest to Williams. Mick Schumacher has been on the sidelines for a few years but has experience in F1, the support of his sponsors and the name. Theo Pourchaire and Felipe Drugovich, as two F2 champions, are also of interest to Williams. Yet with all three, the question will be whether they will really perform much better than Sargeant in the short term.

So it seems more logical to stick with Sargeant until Antonelli becomes available. Under normal circumstances, Antonelli will drive for Williams in 2025 unless Mercedes already considers him good enough to take over Lewis Hamilton's spot. In the latter case, Williams must look for a replacement themselves. The aforementioned three are then an option, but current F1 drivers with expiring contracts also become interesting. The likes of Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou, or perhaps Daniel Ricciardo.