What happened to Logan Sargeant

Image: PlanetF1

Logan Sargeant drove for Williams during the 2023–2024 seasons and, at that time, was the only American on the grid. Formula One has not seen many American drivers, so fans were naturally interested in his performance. Sargeant joined the Williams Driver Academy in 2021 and signed with Williams in 2023, making his F1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix. During his time in Formula One, he managed to score a single point at the U.S. Grand Prix. However, after several high-profile accidents, he was replaced by Franco Colapinto following the Dutch Grand Prix. Let’s look at what happened to Logan Sargeant that made him lose his spot in F1.

Karting

Sargeant began his motorsports career in karting at eight years old, competing in the Rotax Micro Max class in 2008. Shortly after, he started racing in Europe and, in 2015, became the first American to win an FIA Karting World Championship since 1978.

He made his Formula 4 debut in 2016 with Team Potopark, finishing on the podium in 15 of 18 official races. In 2018, he moved to the Formula Renault Eurocup, winning races at legendary circuits like the Nürburgring and Catalunya. He had a strong season and finished fourth with 218 points.

Sargeant entered Formula 3 in 2019, finishing 19th in the standings. In 2020, he joined reigning constructor champions Prema Racing, where he partnered with Oscar Piastri. Sargeant secured multiple pole positions and race wins, ultimately finishing third in the standings, just four points behind Piastri, who later became a McLaren driver.

In 2021, despite testing for an F2 team, he chose to remain in F3 for the season. He scored 102 of his team’s 127 points and finished 17th. After signing with the Williams Driver Academy, Sargeant debuted in Formula 2, partnering with future Red Bull driver Liam Lawson. He finished the season fourth, just one point behind Lawson. In addition, he continued testing with Williams throughout 2022 and was officially announced as Williams’ F1 driver for the 2023 season during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend.

Formula 1

Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon formed Williams’ driver lineup for the 2023 season. Sargeant debuted at the Bahrain Grand Prix, finishing 12th. He reached Q2 for the first time at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix but crashed during the sprint shootout.

At the U.S. Grand Prix, Sargeant started 16th and finished 12th, but was promoted to 10th after Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were disqualified, earning him his only career point. His best qualifying result came in Las Vegas, where he started sixth, though he finished outside the points. His 2023 season was marked by challenges, incidents, and crashes, though he occasionally showed flashes of skill. He finished the season with one point, compared to Albon’s 27.

In 2024, his highest finish was 10th at the British Grand Prix. In July, it was announced that Carlos Sainz would replace him for the 2025 season, though Sargeant stated he would continue to fight for his seat. However, at the Dutch Grand Prix, he suffered a heavy crash in practice, preventing him from participating in qualifying. This proved to be the final straw, and he was replaced by Franco Colapinto for the remainder of the season.

Departure from F1

While Sargeant showed flashes of speed, his frequent crashes proved too costly for Williams. No other team showed interest in signing him, and by the end of 2024, he had tested for IndyCar. In December, he decided to race in the 2024 European Le Mans Series for IDEC Sport.

Sargeant faced an uphill battle from the start, dealing with the pressure of being the only American driver on the grid during a period of F1’s rapid growth in the U.S. Comparisons with Alex Albon, known for his consistency and racecraft, only added to the challenge. Despite his struggles in Formula 1, Sargeant has demonstrated significant driving talent throughout his career. He will likely find success in other racing series that are less cutthroat and high-pressure than Formula One.

If you’re curious about what’s next for Williams, check out my post on Carlos Sainz joining Williams.