Formula 1 | Williams F1: Sergeant had nothing a year ago
Logan Sargeant reflects on the year since Formula 1 last visited Austin. The man who was announced as the future Williams driver under the Superlicence was an F3 driver who was not supported by a Formula 1 team at the time.
“I remember talking to you at the beginning of 2021 and I had nothing” Remembers Sgt. “I was at home and I didn’t have anything at the time. It just shows the difference a year can make. Honestly, I owe it to the support I got from my family, my coach Williams.”
“They’ve all been very supportive and given me the chance to be in this position in the first place. I wouldn’t be here without them. I try to appreciate it as much as possible and do the best I can for them at the same time.”
Recruited in F2 and supported in parallel by Williams, he admits that he did not imagine such a rapid rise in one year: – Honestly, probably not!
“It’s weird, you expect to perform at a high level, but you don’t look at the outcome of that performance. You just see that you’re caught trying to perform at a high level. But we don’t. Think what it could have turned into.”
“You only start to see when the negotiations start and everything starts to shine behind the scenes. But at the beginning of the season I had no expectations. Obviously, I believed in my ability to do well, but I went there very open-minded to do my best.”
“We’ve been fast all year.”
The sergeant is not worried about the Abu Dhabi weekend, which will determine whether he can get a Super Licence: “I’m comfortable. I mean, at the end of the day, we’ve been fast all year. There’s no reason for that to change.”
“At the same time, I feel like I’m doing my best to prepare mentally, physically… and even mentally in the car because I’ve been given these EL1s. There’s nothing better than that. keep me in shape .”
“Obviously the simulator thing hasn’t come yet, but I feel like if I’m doing everything I can to prepare for it, then that’s all I can do and I just have to go out there and do my best.”
Not having the precious sesame yet, he didn’t think Williams would take office so soon: “I’m surprised! I knew this before, but it’s a good idea for the team to do it in America anyway.”
“I think this weekend was a bit strange for me because I was so focused. I was so focused on the EL1s that I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on.
The first test that “brought him a lot.”
His free practice in Austin will be his first base of operations moving forward, as he reveals he already understands a few things about how a Formula 1 single-seater works: “This Friday has already given me a lot to be honest. I literally have a lot to take in.”
“But it just gave my brain a chance to reference the way the car handles, the way it handles, the feel of the brakes. And actually, before I do my next EL1s, I’ll be able to visualize it and make the necessary changes.”
“In terms of feel, the steering, the handling, the braking, the power delivery, everything was very quick and efficient. I was very surprised by the responsiveness of the car. And I think in the best way an F2 car is not that good. like this.”
Sargent is now hoping to learn more in the two EL1s he has left to play this year, to be as ready as possible if his start is confirmed after Abu Dhabi.
“Any time spent in a Formula 1 car is very difficult to overcome, so I think you have to take every opportunity and have an open mind to learn as much as you can to understand the car because it’s very different in the way you need to be a driver. “.
“And it’s just making those adjustments and understanding them. So my focus for development is just taking what I learned from those EL1s and building on that, and then making it more natural and comfortable.”
