Japanese GP: Frustrating race for Williams Racing


By Williams Racing
April 7 2024

The 2024 Japanese GP was another race that would produce a frustrating outcome for the Williams Racing Team. The only driver to finish was Logan Sargeant down in 17th while team-mate Alex Albon's race would end on lap one when he became involved in an incident with Ricciardo that saw Alex crash heavily into the barriers. This would see the race Red Flagged but on the restart Logan would have a positive race until he pitted and after a fractionally slow stop he would lose places and any real opportunity in the race. Later on in his race he would make a mistake that saw he take to the gravel run-off but thankfully he was able to continue. Overall another race with no points and not a lot that the team could take away from it apart from another significant repair bill.

 
 Williams Racing Japanese Grand Prix Race
Sargeant
 
Sargeant 
 

Logan Sargeant:
"After that second stop, I was pushing as hard as I could to catch the group ahead and make something happen. I bottomed on the exit kerb, locked up and went straight. That moment was disappointing but leading up to it there were some positives. We had a bold strategy trying to do the Hard, Hard race which I think would’ve worked. Of course, the lap we try to pit everyone pits and instead of jumping four cars, we got jumped by four cars which can make or break a race. Had that gone to plan, the race would’ve played out very differently. Nonetheless, we tried to adapt to the situation by boxing again. We still could’ve had a decent result, but I made that little mistake."

Albon

Alex Albon:
"I didn’t have a great start but being on the Hard tyres, I had good traction coming up into Turn 2, but I don’t think Daniel [Ricciardo] saw me and it was a bit of a pinching moment… I tried to back out of it but I couldn’t quite get out of the way quick enough. It’s a tough one to take, so all in all a very frustrating and disappointing weekend. It wasn’t a big crash but the way I hit the tyre wall, the car gripped and went under it, and I came to a hard stop really fast and aggressively, so that won’t help with the damage to the car. Looking ahead, we’ll assess the damage and get the car ready in time for China."

Albon
 
Sargeant
 

Track: Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Saudi Arabia

Lap Length: 6.174 km
Pos Driver Team Times Grid
17 L Sargeant Williams Racing +1 Lap (1:34.900)  19
DNF A Albon Williams Racing DNF  14
 
Sargeant
 

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