Sargeant to get second Williams F1 seat if he gains FIA superlicence
Logan Sargeant will race for Williams in Formula 1 next year if he gains enough points for an FIA superlicence, the team has confirmed.
Formula 2 driver Sargeant made his F1 race weekend debut in opening practice for the United States Grand Prix on Friday in Austin, finishing 19th for Williams.
It helped Sargeant pick up an additional point towards his FIA superlicence, with further outings planned in Mexico and Abu Dhabi this season.
Should he enjoy clean sessions in Mexico and Abu Dhabi, Sargeant could get up to 30 points that would mean he could finish as low as sixth in the F2 standings and still gain a superlicence.
Williams F1 boss Jost Capito has now confirmed that if Sargeant gets a superlicence, he will race alongside Alex Albon in 2023.
“We feel he’s ready to race,” said Capito in Saturday’s FIA press conference.
“Under the condition that he has enough superlicence points, he will be our second driver next year.”
Sargeant would become the first full-time American driver in Formula 1 since Scott Speed raced for Toro Rosso back in 2007. Alexander Rossi made five appearances for Marussia towards the end of the 2015 season, but was never a full-time driver.
Sargeant currently sits third on 135 points, but is only 12 points clear of Liam Lawson who is in seventh place, making the Abu Dhabi F2 finale crucial to his F1 chances.
The team was happy with his performance in FP1 on Friday in Austin, where he completed the 100km required to gain the extra superlicence point. He will also take part in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
“Logan showed a high level of understanding during his FP1 debut in Austin and provided useful feedback to help in the team’s preparations for the rest of the weekend,” said Williams sporting director Sven Smeets.
“We are providing Logan further opportunities in Mexico and Abu Dhabi to integrate himself with the team trackside in both Free Practice sessions and the Young Driver Test as we work hard to support Logan in his efforts towards earning the FIA Super Licence.
“It’s great that as a team we can provide invaluable time for Logan to get behind the wheel of the FW44 to continue his development as a Williams Academy Driver and harness his talents.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how Logan progresses this season and finishes out his last race of the season in Formula 2.”
Share Or Save This Story
1998 Belgian GP: When the Schumachers went to war
The race that transformed perceptions of Red Bull
Hamilton in the process of selecting Brad Pitt’s co-star for F1 movie
Former Williams F1 driver Logan Sargeant announces engagement
Logan Sargeant hopes for Max Verstappen in Ford Hypercar: “He’s going to kick everyone’s ass”
Why Logan Sargeant does not miss Formula 1 as he makes his WEC debut
100 not out: Alex Albon on Williams’s desire to atone for its 2026 struggles
James Vowles reveals Williams F1 cost cap struggle amid facility overhaul
F1 2026 mid-season grades: Williams takes shocking step backwards
Denny Hamlin breaks down pit struggles that cost No. 11 team
Shane van Gisbergen falls to Chase bubble but actually gains ground at Richmond
Austin Cindric: Richmond was the 'kick in the ass' we needed
Christopher Bell says finish was 'better than we deserved' after Richmond gamble
Could McLaren follow Red Bull’s path with its own F1 engine – and should it?
Top 10 rookie seasons in F1
Why F1 shouldn’t be hiding its most interesting characters
100 not out: Alex Albon on Williams’s desire to atone for its 2026 struggles
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments