Logan Sargeant found himself lamenting yet another mishap on Saturday, as he collided with the wall at the final corner of the Suzuka International Racing Course during his initial qualifying run for the Japanese Grand Prix.

This incident closely followed a similar accident during the early stages of the Singapore GP last weekend. Additionally, at last month’s Dutch race weekend, he veered off the track during qualifying and subsequently crashed during the race, although the latter was attributed to a hydraulic problem.

These events have increased the pressure on the American rookie, who has received a public warning from his team to enhance his performances if he wishes to secure his place at Williams in 2024.

With AlphaTauri confirming their driver lineup for the next season, Sargeant’s seat is essentially the only one left available for the upcoming year. The escalating repair expenses resulting from Sargeant’s accidents are not assisting his case.

Sargeant addressed the media in the paddock at Suzuka, emphasizing, “At the end of the day, I’m not trying to put it into the wall. There’s not much I can say other than I’m doing my best, but I keep crossing the line.”

He attributed the recent incidents to challenging conditions, stating, “It’s just been tricky with the tailwind combined with the rear overheating. I just wasn’t patient enough with it. There’s no reason I should be doing that.”

“We’ve had quite a few issues with rear overheating in the last sector and that combined with being too aggressive on power just gave me a big snap,” he explained. “Once I touched the grass, there wasn’t a lot I could do.”

Sargeant acknowledged that these errors have been problematic, despite believing in his own pace. Regarding the latest incident, he expressed his intention to “put it behind me and go again.”

He also acknowledged the team’s hard work in repairing his car, saying, “It’s disappointing and not what I wanted. I know the team have a big job on their hands to repair my car for tomorrow, and I really appreciate all their hard work and effort.”

Williams’ head of vehicle performance, Dave Robson, confirmed the need to rebuild Sargeant’s car and noted that even minor mistakes at this circuit can have significant consequences.

As a result of the accident, Sargeant was unable to set a qualifying time and is expected to start Sunday’s race from the back of the grid or even the pit lane. In contrast, his teammate Alex Albon advanced to the second round of qualifying and secured the 13th position on the grid.

Albon admitted that they had anticipated a stronger performance coming into the weekend but acknowledged the challenges presented by the circuit’s conditions. He emphasized the importance of tire management and control in what promises to be a demanding race.