Mexico GP stewards make Logan Sargeant decision after F1 star failed to qualify

29 October 2023 , 02:04

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American F1 driver Logan Sargeant (Image: Hasan Bratic/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images)

Logan Sargeant will be allowed to race in the Mexican Grand Prix despite failing to qualify.

The American racer did not set a lap time at all during his short participation in Saturday's session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. His only lap time was deleted for a track limits violation, while he blamed traffic for not getting any more on the board.

So he was condemned to the bottom of the timesheets and Williams were forced to apply to the stewards for permission for their driver to race on Sunday. And Sargeant has now been given the green light to do so.

"The stewards have received a request from Williams Racing to allow Car 2 [Sargeant] to start the race despite failing to set a qualifying time within 107 percent of the fastest time set in Q1," an official decision document read.

"In accordance with Article 39.4 of the FIA Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, the stewards grand permission for Car 2, Logan Sargeant, to start the race, as the driver has set satisfactory times in practice at this event."

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But that was not the end of Sargeant's involvement with the stewards after qualifying. They took a particularly dim view of the fact he overtook Yuki Tsunoda while the track was under yellow flag conditions after Fernando Alonso span his Aston Martin at the end of Q1.

The stewards' explanation said Sargeant had claimed he overtook Tsunoda because he appeared to be moving slowly and because he had seen a green flashing panel ahead, indicating to the American that it was safe to overtake.

But that did not wash with the stewards. They reminded him that green flag conditions only resume once that flashing panel has been passed and so the overtake too place while the yellows were still in force.

Sargeant was also told that he had not slowed down enough under the yellow flags, as is required. The American was given two more penalty points on his licence, taking him to a total of six in the last 12-month period. That means he is currently half-way to a race ban – a punishment which no F1 driver has ever triggered.

He was also given a 10-place grid drop, though it will have little effect as Sargeant was already towards the back of the grid anyway. Only Tsunoda was due to start the race behind the Williams driver, owing to the fact he has taken a swathe of new engine components which come with an automatic grid drop, but now Sargeant will line up 20th behind the Japanese racer.

Daniel Moxon