Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher looks most likely to take over from Logan Sargeant should Williams opt for a change of driver.
An underwhelming 2024 campaign from the American has left him at risk of being replaced as soon as this weekend.
It follows a scoreless season thus far and a heavy crash during practice at the Dutch Grand Prix that saw him miss qualifying.
While the squad has Carlos Sainz under contract for 2025, team boss James Vowles is understood to be keen on a change sooner.
Like Red Bull Racing with Sergio Perez, Williams has a strong need for both drivers to be contributing to its points tally.
Williams sits ninth in the constructors’ championship with four points, all accumulated by Alex Albon.
It is nine points back from Alpine with nine races remaining.
Albon qualified inside the top 10 in Zandvoort prior to his exclusion, suggesting the squad remains a points contender and that Alpine is within reach.
However, it is also vulnerable to Sauber in 10th in the constructors’ championship.
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It’s understood Vowles met with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner in Zandvoort last weekend where the prospect of having Liam Lawson replace Sargeant was floated.
While there is interest on both sides to make that happen, discussions have stalled with Horner’s insistence that Lawson be available should Red Bull need him the sticking point.
As such, Schumacher has emerged as the favourite for the Williams seat.
The German is currently reserve driver for Mercedes alongside his role with Alpine in the World Endurance Championship.
He spent two seasons with Haas before the American-registered operation opted to replace him with compatriot Nico Hulkenberg.
Schumacher was in contention for the Alpine seat set to be vacated by Esteban Ocon at the end of the season, but lost out on that to Jack Doohan.
For a time, he was also flagged as a potential replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, though it’s now widely accepted Italian youngster Kimi Antonelli will be promoted instead.
Beyond Lawson, Schumacher remains the highest credentialled driver available to step in for Sargeant this season.
With appetite from Mercedes, which has a pool of reserve drivers at its disposal, there are seemingly fewer barriers in his way.
Regardless, the decision to replace Sargeant needs to be made sharply if the new driver is to be in place for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, which begins on Thursday ahead of track action starting on Friday.
