P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Vowles: Sargeant chassis survived F1 Japanese GP FP1 crash intact
The Grove team is currently without a spare car, as Sargeant is using the chassis that was previously damaged in Melbourne by Alex Albon and then repaired.
Sargeant lost control of the car at the high-speed Dunlop Curve left-hander when his right-hand wheels touched the grass, causing extensive damage to the suspension, gearbox, and other parts of the car.
Despite efforts to repair the car and get it back on the track, the damage is substantial and will take time to fix.
Vowles explained that Sargeant’s mistake was due to difficulty in positioning on the track, and not due to pushing the car to its limits.
Williams will not have a spare car at the next race in China, as the third chassis won’t be available until Miami, which is an estimated 8-10 weeks away due to the complex construction process.
The team is focusing on balancing resources between chassis construction, spare parts, and other updates to ensure overall progress and performance improvements.
