Felipe Drugovich ‘waiting with a lot of money’ to nab Williams 2024 drive – Ralf Schumacher

Michelle Foster
Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich. Bahrain February 2023.

Could Felipe Drugovich take the 2024 Williams seat?

Ralf Schumacher believes Logan Sargeant’s days in Formula 1 are “numbered”, and while he’d like to see Mick Schumacher step in, he says Felipe Drugovich and his millions are first in line.

Yet to score a point this season and with his crash damage bill seemingly climbing by the weekend, Sargeant is a driver under pressure.

His team boss James Vowles has told him he has until the end of the season to “prove” himself, after that, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll be Alex Albon’s 2024 team-mate.

Williams yet to confirm their full 2024 line-up

Sargeant’s chances of continuing with Williams next season weredealt a blow last weekendwhen the driver crashed not once but twice at the Japanese Grand Prix.

While his qualifying crash necessitated a repair job that was so vast the FIA penalised Williams for breaking the third car regulations, his race-ending crash started with the need for a front wing change and ended with Williams retiring the car as unseen damage became progressively worse.

Schumacher believes he is “overwhelmed” and trying too hard, leading to his mistakes.

“Sargeant is overwhelmed, which is why he causes the accidents,” Schumacher told theFormula1.de YouTube channel. “He tries force, he despairs a bit, but it just doesn’t work with violence.”

Instead of Sargeant, Schumacher would like to see his nephew Mick take the Williams seat.

“I definitely believe that he would do a better job than Logan Sargeant,” said.

“I think the circumstances under which Mick entered Formula 1 were extremely bad.

“In year one with another rookie [Nikita Mazepin] in a car that said Formula 1 on it but that wasn’t really a Formula 1 car in comparison.”

As for year two with Haas, the eight-time grand prix winner accepts Mick was “too weak” at the start of the season but ” by the middle he was at the same level” as his new team-mate Kevin Magnussen.

“But he had a team that wasn’t necessarily behind him, to say the least, at least with the team boss. That’s not easy for a young driver,” he added.

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Felipe Drugovich reportedly the clear favourite for the Williams

Instead, Schumacher reckons the driver leading the queue to replace Sargeant is Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich.

“There is also Felipe Drugovich, who is waiting with a lot of money,” said the German.

尽管Drugovich赢得了2022年的公式2冠军ship, beating Théo Pourchaire and Liam Lawson with Sargeant only P4 in the standings, he had to settle for a reserve driver role while Sargeant was promoted by Williams.

According to SPORT1, Drugovich is the ‘clear favourite’ to replace Sargeant if Williams opt not to continue with the 22-year-old while Schumacher isexpected to join Alpinein the World Endurance Championship.

Williams are the only team stillwith an unconfirmed seat for next year’s championship.

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