The race weekend in Silverstone was a complete success for Logan Sargeant – and it was urgently needed. The American has been on the hot seat at Williams for weeks. The team no longer seems to be convinced of its driver’s performance. Sargeant’s self-assessment is all the more astonishing: “I feel that I have driven well all year. I am satisfied with what I have accomplished.”
Logan Sargeant vs. Williams: Unequal cards against Alex Albon – performance alone is not enough!
An explanation for the unexpected assessment is quickly found. Sargeant has not broken a knot and he has not only British GP. “I think I’ve been in a rhythm for a long time. I just haven’t had the chance to show it yet. Now that we both have similar cars, it’s nice to have that chance every weekend,” Sargeant points out, pointing out that he has often had to start the Grands Prix this season under different conditions than his teammate Alexander Albon.
“I quickly realised that nobody knows what really goes on in a team except the people who are part of it. Life isn’t always fair, but it is what it is,” says Sargeant resignedly. And the 23-year-old Williams driver is even clearer about the suggestion of discrimination: “I think it’s not always about performance, but about results. You have to have the same cards in order to be able to get the results. It’s as simple as that. So even if you perform well, unfortunately you can easily be overlooked.”
For this reason, Sargeant is convinced that his 2024 Formula 1 season should be judged differently than in 2023. “The crucial thing is that last year I couldn’t say that I did a good job, whereas this year I know that I can be satisfied with the work I did,” reveals the American. But he also knows: “Unfortunately, whether everyone else gets to see that is not always in my hands.”
No praise from Williams: Sargeant focuses on himself
Sargeant is not even sure whether his own team recognizes his performance. Feedback or praise after his clean Silverstone weekend? None! But that does not surprise Sargeant. “In the In Formula 1, you are expected to reach a certain level. You don’t get a pat on the back every time you do a good job within the team,” he clarifies. This was no different last year.
The Formula 1 driver, however, is concerned with something completely different: “I do my best to deliver my personal performance. I want to put in a good performance for all the guys and girls who work hard for me and try to maximize our performance every weekend.” This is also the goal for the weekend in Hungary, says Sargeant. Although the Hungaroring is a challenge for the team, he felt quite comfortable on this track last year. Therefore, he sees no reason why he shouldn’t do well here personally, says the American Williams driver.
Logan Sargeant’s Formula 1 future? A topic for the summer break…
Sargeant leaves the question of his Formula 1 future to his manager. “We will certainly discuss it during the summer break. But at the moment it’s about continuing to go on and trying to get better and better every single weekend. I don’t see why I couldn’t do that.”
The Williams driver looks back on his career path through the junior classes so far with gratitude: “I always had great teams in the junior formulas that supported me 100 percent. In this environment, I really felt supported to have the best possible chance of performing. It was a great privilege to be given the opportunity to drive in Formula 2 and eventually move up to Formula 1. There was a lot of support and trust right from the start. Of course, I really appreciate that and yes, that doesn’t go away.”
Are these the words of a farewell from the premier class? A hot replacement candidate for Logan Sargeant’s Williams cockpit has already been found. Mercedes wants to bring its junior star Kimi Antonelli into Formula 1 and Williams would be the predestined place for him to enter. But is the young Italian even fit enough for the premier class? Alina and Florian discuss this in the new talk video: