American driver Sargeant encountered trouble during practice at the Dunlop Curve left-hander, veering off track and spinning into the barrier. The impact caused damage to both the front and rear of the FW46, affecting the suspension and cracking the gearbox. Fortunately, the chassis remained intact, having been repaired previously after a crash involving teammate Alex Albon in Australia, although the team lacked a spare.
The incident forced Sargeant to sit out FP2 as the mechanics worked on repairs. However, the wet track limited meaningful running for all drivers, mitigating the impact of the lost track time for both Sargeant and Williams. Nevertheless, it marked another costly setback for the team, with this being the second gearbox damaged in two events.
Sargeant took responsibility for the error, acknowledging it as a “silly” mistake and expressing relief that it wasn’t a result of over-pushing like previous incidents. Despite having to relinquish his car to Albon in Australia, Sargeant maintained his confidence and readiness for the current round, attributing the mishap to a simple visual error.
Williams team principal James Vowles concurred, attributing the accident to a misjudgment in car placement rather than excessive risk-taking or an attempt to make up for previous disappointments. He emphasized that the error stemmed from misjudging the car’s position on the track rather than pushing its limits, indicating that it could have happened at any time regardless of past events.
Sargeant’s incident during practice resulted in damage to the FW46 but did not significantly impact the team’s overall performance during the session due to the conditions limiting track activity. Both Sargeant and the team remain focused on moving forward from the setback and maintaining confidence for the upcoming events.
