F2 champion Theo Pourchaire has expressed his disappointment after being overlooked for an F1 seat following his title-winning campaign. The 20 year old’s hopes were dashed when Williams decided to retain Logan Sargeant for the 2024 season, confirming the 20-man grid for next year.
Despite speculation that a change could be made in the No. 2 seat, Williams chose to stick with rookie American Sargeant. The 22 year old managed just one F1 Championship point and cost the team large sums in car damage following multiple crashes, but Williams will continue their investment for another season at least.
This decision left Pourchaire without options. The Frenchman was one of the F2 prospects linked with replacing Sargeant and fans were sent wild with what they viewed as a social media hint, posting two wink faces to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Pourchaire isn’t the first F2 champion to be snubbed after his title-winning season and he’s unlikely to be the last. Twenty-twenty-one champion Oscar Piastri and 2022 title winner Felipe Drugovich both suffered the same fate. Pourchaire expressed his disappointment during the FIA Prize Giving Gala in Baku.
He expressed his disappointment, saying: “I think I’m the third F2 champion in a row to not be promoted to F1. It can happen, it’s not because you are an F2 champion that you will have a place in F1. But I’m disappointed, to be honest. Because I’m an F2 champion, I did some good results in the past. I did my best. The goal that the Sauber Academy told me was to win the championship and I did it. So it’s like this.”
He continued: “For me, I would like to do a championship next year. Driving in an F1 car for some testing days it’s good, but it’s a lot of money and not every Formula 1 team can afford that. So unfortunately I think it will not be the case for me with the Sauber Academy. So I’ll try just to find a place in a good championship. So Super Formula is I think the best option for me.”
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Pourchaire also admitted that timing may have played a part in his snub. “It’s a bit of wrong timing, wrong place probably,” he explained. “Because there’s just no space next year in F1. Of course, I think at the end of 2024 there’s a lot of drivers without a contract, but I will not be racing in F2. That’s why I want to keep racing and show myself to the Formula 1 paddock as well that I’m able to be really fast and that I deserve a place there. So I don’t think there’s a big issue in the system.
“But for sure a Formula 2 champion normally deserves a place in F1, because even if it’s in the third season we saw that Felipe Drugovich I think in FP1 is always really quick. He’s ready to jump in an F1 car. So I think he also deserves a place in F1. But it’s like this. I mean we have to be realistic, and if we don’t have any places, it’s part of motorsport.”
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