James Vowles remains hopeful that Logan Sargeant will not miss out on the Suzuka race, stating he's "confident" that Williams will provide a car for him to compete in.
Williams' choice to transfer Sargeant's car to Alex Albon following the latter's big crash during practice in Melbourne sparked widespread debate.
"It's incredibly hard for the bottom five teams to finish in the points," commented Dr. Helmut Marko from Red Bull during an interview with Speed Week. "That's why I understand Williams' decision."
"Albon is the much stronger driver and a championship point can be worth $10 million," he continued. "In that respect, it was a logical thing."
The ongoing lack of a spare chassis at Williams, now deep into the new season, is becoming a critical issue, especially as a third one will not be available in time for the Japanese Grand Prix.
But speculation suggest Williams might not even manage to mend Albon's original chassis in time for Suzuka, potentially causing Sargeant to be left out once more.
Late Wednesday, James Vowles, the team principal, reassured fans, "I'm confident we'll be able to fix the chassis," after the damaged vehicle was returned to the Grove factory in the early hours of Monday.
That car is currently being dismantled and repaired, with Vowles revealing significant damage was done.
"The engine mounts were completely bent," he disclosed. "The front right corner, where the suspension connects, is shattered - I can insert my finger into the chassis at that point."
Yet, he optimistically added, "We're in a good place for having the chassis ready well before Suzuka. So, we'll have two cars there without too many issues."
