Logan Sargeant says he is ready for Formula 1 and has high expectations after Williams confirms he will race for them next season as the first US driver of the championship since Alexander Rossi in 2015.
Monday’s announcement comes after the 21-year-old Williams academy driver won a Formula 1 super license during Sunday’s season-ending Formula 2 race in Abu Dhabi.
The Florida-born sergeant, who has lived in London for the past five years, was fourth overall in the feeder series and rookie of the year.
He replaces Canadian Nicholas Latifi alongside British-Thai Alex Albon at Williams, former champions who finished their final season in the constructors standings and completed the 2023 starting grid.
“I feel like I’ve put in as much effort as anyone else to get to this point and I just need to prepare as best I can to be the best driver I can be next year,” Sargeant told reporters. on a video call from Abu Dhabi.
“Hopefully that’s good enough to stay in F1 for a long time.”
‘I don’t think that’s adding any pressure,’ he said of being an American in a sport that has three races in the US and a rapidly growing fan base back home thanks to the documentary series’ Drive to Survive’ by Netflix.
“I have high expectations for myself as it is.”
Williams said at the US Grand Prix in Austin last October, where Sargeant took part in his first practice, that he would race for them next year if he got his license. Read full story
“We believe he is fully ready to enter Formula 1,” team boss Jost Capito said afterwards.
Formula One has for many years desired an American driver, with Red Bull recently thwarting efforts to sign Colton Herta for their AlphaTauri team because the IndyCar driver does not have a super license.
Sargeant, who moved to Europe as a youngster and has gone through a series of teenage tournaments, said he likes to think of his nationality as just a “coincidence”. when he entered Formula One.
He said waking up on Monday as a Formula 1 driver felt very natural and he felt at home in the team.
“I feel like I’ve had a very good base formula career and I’m just looking forward to finishing that chapter and moving on to the next one,” he said, adding that he has yet to decide on the number of talents. his driver.
Sargeant finished third in the 2020 Formula 3 championship, four points behind Australian winner Oscar Piastri, who will make his race debut with McLaren next season.
“There’s never been any friction. We’ve been friends since racing,” he said. “All he’s done, I’m so happy for him and I hope we can both be successful in entering F1.”
