Williams have confirmed their intention to hand their vacant race seat for next season to Logan Sargeant.
The young American has impressed in F2 this season and has done enough to convince Williams that he is worth promoting to the top series. But they will have to wait until the end of the season to know whether or not they will be able to.
Sargeant is yet to secure enough points for an FIA superlicence. Whether or not that will change in time for next season will depend on whether he can secure sixth place or better in the F2 standings at the season finale in Abu Dhabi next month.
To help him do that, Williams gave Sargeant the chance to take part in FP1 at his home race in Austin this weekend. He performed well enough to secure two more similar opportunities between now and the end of the year, which will see him earn two more superlicence points if he completes 100km of running in each.
Almost immediately after Williams confirmed that plan, team principal Jost Capito informed reporters that the American was the man they had chosen for their vacant seat alongside Alex Albon. "I think it did the job that was expected and he did exactly what he was told," the team boss said.
"For him, it was tricky. First time in FP1 to get used to the car. He was overwhelmed by the brakes especially and so he did what should do and looked okay. We feel he's ready to race and under the condition that he has enough superlicence points after Abu Dhabi, he will be our second driver next year."
Williams were forced to change their driver plans earlier this year. They were in negotiations to take Oscar Piastri on a loan-style deal from Alpine when they were planning on keeping Fernando Alonso, but when the Spaniard announced he would be leaving and the Australian defected to McLaren, those plans had to change.
Presuming Sargeant is able to secure his superlicence, Haas are now the only team on the grid yet to finalise their 2023 driver lineup. Kevin Magnussen is confirmed, but Mick Schumacher still has more to do to convince Guenther Steiner that he is the correct man for the seat he currently occupies.
Steiner will not be making a decision until at least after the Mexico Grand Prix. If Schumacher does not do enough to keep hold of his seat, Nico Hulkenberg is considered to be the top candidate to replace him – though Daniel Ricciardo remains a potential option after his McLaren axe.
