Toto Wolff left red-faced after recommendation ignored by fellow team principal

James Vowles has ruled Mick Schumacher out of contention for the second Williams seat, despite the German driver coming with a recommendation from fellow team principal and former Mercedes colleague Toto Wolff.

The 24-year-old German has been out of a seat since the end of the 2022 campaign after his two-year stint with Haas came to an end. Schumacher failed to impress Guenther Steiner during his spell with the team and endured a damaging reputation as a driver with a tendency to write off cars.

Schumacher has since been working as a test and reserve driver for Mercedes, cashing in on his strong personal connection with Wolff and the team, although the German driver’s long-term goal remains a full-time return to the F1 grid.

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However, according to a report from F1-Insider, while Wolff did everything possible to make Vowles see Schumacher as a strong option including providing simulator data from his work with Mercedes, Vowles was unimpressed and didn’t see him as a viable option.

Instead, the team are considering Aston Martin reserve driver Felipe Drugovich as an alternative to the under-pressure Logan Sargeant. The Brazilian talent is the reigning Formula 2 champion and proved a steady pair of hands when substituting for Lance Stroll during pre-season testing. 

The report states that the 23-year-old Brazilian could bring as much as £13 million (€15m) in sponsorship money to the team, adding to their development budget, while also offering a level of consistency that Sargeant, who is yet to score his maiden points in F1, can muster.

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Despite all these options, Vowles’ main priority has been to get Sargeant firing on all cylinders. The American rookie was promoted ahead of schedule and is a product of the team’s academy, making it understandable that he will be given more time to adapt to the rigours of F1.

Laying out a roadmap for the young American, Vowles previously said: “The comments I’ve given him is this, it’s a meritocracy, you’re not here just because we want you to be here, you have to earn your place, this is the pinnacle of motorsport.

“And what I’m asking of you is follow this general guidance, follow this development path, keep moving forward relative to Alex, and there is a place for you here with your name on it.”

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