Williams urges Logan Sargent to ‘get things controlled and deliver’ after a spate of sluggish races

Logan Sargeant is having a very difficult season so far, but his team principal James Vowles is optimistic and wants him to get control of things to perform well.

Logan Sargeant and team principal, James Vowles

In the midst of a challenging start to his Formula 1 career, Logan Sargeant has been urged to regain control and consistency by Williams Formula 1 team boss James Vowles. The American rookie has shown glimpses of impressive speed but has also encountered a string of mishaps that have hampered his progress in the early races of the season.

Sargeant, a Formula 2 graduate, has struggled with the steep learning curve of Formula 1, particularly on challenging street and temporary circuits. Qualifying in Jeddah resulted in a crash, a collision with Nyck de Vries occurred on the last restart in Australia, and another severe accident in the shootout SQ1 session caused him to miss the sprint race in Baku despite recording a fast enough lap.

James Vowles emphasized that Sargeant’s raw pace is not in question, stating, “Logan’s here because he’s quick, and he is quick, he can deliver. But he has to start by just getting things controlled, delivering cleanly.” The team principal acknowledged the need for Logan Sargeant to prioritize consistency and not be overly concerned with matching the performance of his more experienced teammate, Alex Albon.

Despite the series of setbacks, there have been glimpses of promise for Sargeant. In both qualifying sessions in Baku, he managed to progress to Q2, showcasing a level of consistency Vowles seeks from the young driver. “That’s the consistency. And that’s what we’re looking for,” Vowles explained.

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James Vowles defends Logan Sargeant for his nightmarish home Grand Prix

Logan Sargent in his Williams at the Miami GP (Credits: Miami New Times)

The Miami GP held on a low-drag track, posed an additional challenge for the Williams team. Albon showcased impressive performance in qualifying, narrowly missing out on reaching Q3. However, Sargeant struggled and had a disappointing outing. In the first practice session, he languished in 19th place, and his struggles continued into Saturday’s session, resulting in a starting position at the back of the grid in P20.

The disappointment continued for Sargeant as he endured a miserable home race. A collision with Lance Stroll’s right rear wheel in the opening lap left him with a damaged nose and relegated him to the back of the field for the duration of the race. Despite the frustration, Vowles defended Sargeant, deeming it a racing incident. He highlighted the silver lining of the situation, stating, “Tell me another time that you’ll get 50 laps where you can play with the car and learn okay and free air, by yourself.”

9 days left until we go again in Imola… ? @WilliamsRacing pic.twitter.com/0YQXgG5L8M
— Lona (@Lona_F1) May 10, 2023

While Vowles acknowledged the disappointment of Sargeant‘s recent performances, he remained optimistic about the young driver’s potential. “You’ll see that he’ll slowly edge up,” Vowles stated. The team principal emphasized the importance of learning from these experiences and gradually building upon them to deliver improved results.

As Sargeant continues to navigate the complexities of Formula 1, he must heed Vowles’ advice and regain control, focusing on delivering clean performances and gaining valuable experience on the track. Sargeant, still seeking his first Formula 1 point, finds himself tied for last in the series standings with fellow rookie Nyck de Vries. His highest starting position so far has been 14th, achieved in the season opener, and his best finish to date was 12th place.