Williams confirms Sargeant for 2023 F1 season

Williams team boss Jost Capito has confirmed Logan Sargeant will race for the team in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

His comments came in the Team Principal’s press conference on Saturday in Circuit of The Americas ahead of this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, quickly following confirmation that the American youngster will take part in two further Free Practice 1 outings this season.

Sargeant replaced Nicholas Latifi in opening practice on Friday in Austin as one of the team’s two mandatory rookie driver sessions. Nyck de Vries completed the other at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier in the year.

“We feel he’s ready to race and under the condition that he has enough superlicence points, after Abu Dhabi, he will be our second driver next year,” Capito confirmed.

“I’m a fan of getting young drivers as quick through as possible in Formula 1 because, the series below, the cars compared to Formula 1 cars like trucks, so get him in as quick as possible and find out if he is capable to stay in Formula 1 long term.

“We believe he is. [This is] His first year in F2 and he won races and he has been qualifying very strong, all his years in his career, so we believe he’s absolutely ready to get into Formula 1.”

Sargeant will join Alex Albon in the team, the ex-Red Bull driver set to embark on his second season with Williams and fourth in a Formula 1 race seat.

“I think we can have a rookie because with Alex we have still young but also already a very experienced driver,” Capito explained.

“He established so well in the team, he gave fantastic results, is working well with the team, so we can put the rookie alongside him.”

However, Sargeant’s place on the Formula 1 grid is entirely dependent on his ability to secure a superlicence by the end of the year.

As things stand, he must finish in the top five in the Formula 2 Championship to have the required number of points towards that.

Should he exceed 100 km of running during both Free Practice 1 outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi that window increases to sixth place in the F2 title race.

He currently sits third with one weekend of racing remaining.

“I’m very grateful to be given further time in the FW44 at Mexico and Abu Dhabi,” Sargeant said of his increased Free Practice 1 opportunities.

“My aim is to make the most of every minute in the car and with the team to build on the progress I’ve made in Austin and throughout my time on the simulator at Grove.

“Of course, my focus is on finishing my Formula 2 season in Abu Dhabi in the best position possible, and I’m sure my time in the FW44 will keep me sharp and ready for the F2 finale.”

Assuming Sargeant scores the requisite points, it leaves Haas as the only team yet to confirm its complete driver line-up for 2023.

2023 F1 driver contracts

*Pending superlicence