Under-pressure Sargeant crashes on first lap of qualifying
Sargeant, who is battling to save his seat for 2024 after an underwhelming rookie F1 campaign alongside the impressive Alex Albon, crashed coming out of the final corner at Suzuka.
The American lost control and ran too wide on his first timed lap of Q1 and put a wheel on the grass, before slamming into the barriers, causing extensive damage to his Williams and bringing out a red flag.
It means that Sargeant will start 20th and last for Sunday’s race.
“Heart-breaking for Logan and the guys. The disappointment element is it's a lot of work overnight,” Williams team principal James Vowles told Sky in reaction to the incident.
"More importantly Logan built up to this weekend and started to have some good pace. Just can't get it altogether.”
Analysing the crash, Sky F1 pundit Anthony Davidson said: "He's only got himself to blame for that one I'm afraid, Logan.
"He could have backed out of it. The drivers who have had the switch, the snap of oversteer, have backed out of it.
"The difference when you're on a qualifying lap is the eagerness to keep the throttle down sometimes takes over rational sense."
