F1 stewards take Logan Sargeant’s decision after the American failed to qualify for the Saudi Arabian GP
Formula 1’s 107 percent rule means that if a driver fails to set a fast enough time in qualifying, they must obtain special permission from the authorities to enter a race
Logan Sargeant has been given the green light to race at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix despite not qualifying.
There is a rule that states that a driver must set a time that is within 107% of the time set by the pole sitter to qualify for the event. Sargeant missed that target in an interrupted qualifying session for the only American racer in Formula 1.
He will start last in Jeddah after all three attempts to set a representative time have failed. He did so on the first attempt but his time for crossing the pit entry line at the very end of the lap was erased.
On his second attempt, Sargeant crossed his car at the high-speed Turn 22 and was very lucky not to bury his Williams in the wall. Commenting on Sky, Martin Brundle quipped that the Floridian “must have his lucky knickers on”.
He still had a chance to set a quick time and was making good progress until he was caught again at the tricky Turn 22. This time he didn’t spin but hit the curb hard, damaging the underside of his car and meaning he had to abandon the lap.
Because he didn’t meet the 107 percent rule, his team had to apply for a special permit for Sargeant tomorrow. After hearing the case, the stewards have given this permission as he has set fast enough times in practice to prove he is fast enough to race.
The American cut a frustrated figure while facing the media after the session. He told F1 TV: “It was in the event notes not to cross the pit entry line so it’s up to me. I think we need to monitor it better in free practice to use as a reference.
“I rode this exact race all weekend and [this time] it gets deleted, that’s a bit frustrating. On the positive side, the car was super fast and I felt really good. Obviously I made a few mistakes, but these are just details. I’m disappointed in myself that I didn’t do a lap for the team.
“But it is what it is. Onwards and up. It’s not a mistake I want to make. I was up on my first lap and didn’t have to push as hard as I was trying to find every last 100th. It has caught and put a lot of pressure on the last lap, which I didn’t bring.”
