Under pressure F1 star criticised for “random mistakes” with future in doubt

Ex-F1 driver Jolyon Palmer has criticised Logan Sargeant for making “random mistakes” following a difficult Japanese Grand Prix.

With Williams teammate Alex Albon out of the race, all of the onus was on Sargeant to perform at Suzuka.

Sargeant was in the battle for the final point in Japan on Sunday before a slow pit stop ruined his chances.

His race was further compounded by an off-track moment at Degna 2 - the second quick right-hander after the esses - running off into the gravel trap.

Sargeant is yet to beat teammate Albon in a qualifying session - or race - during his time in F1.

Reflecting on Sargeant’s display, Palmer - who raced in F1 between 2016 and 2017 - described his mistakes as “small inaccuracies”.

“It’s just small inaccuracies that Logan [Sargeant] can ill-afford and the pressure,” he said.

“We know all the chat that came about with Williams’s driver choice in Melbourne but Logan really has a point to prove at the moment and he was having a good race up to this point.

“He made some good overtakes, and it was looking encouraging as once again the only Williams in the Grand Prix after [Alex] Albon’s early exit.

“But you can just see the inaccuracies here, from lap to lap there are just small differences in Logan’s line and this is why he just sometimes makes random mistakes during Grand Prix.

“Thinking back to Zandvoort, thinking to Singapore as well last season, these things happen just slightly too often still for Sargeant.”

Sargeant’s F1 future is in doubt, particularly with 11 other drivers on the grid out of contract.

Williams could also turn to Mercedes protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli as a potential option if they don’t opt for the Italian as Lewis Hamilton’s replacement.

Former Williams driver Ralf Schumacher feels that Sargeant is “overwhelmed”.

“He just makes too many mistakes,” Schumacher said. “It just keeps coming back to the same thing – he’s simply overwhelmed and it’s time for him to realise it and probably do something different.”