Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has opened up on what F1 requires to promote the sport in the United States. The 49-year-old’s remarks come just a few weeks before 22-year-old American driver Logan Sargeant is set to make his much-awaited debut in the sport.
Horner has been one of the most successful team principals in the sport. He has not only helped the Milton Keynes outfit win five Constructors’ Championships but also managed some brilliant drivers during his stint (since 2005).
Under the leadership of the Brit, recently retired driver Sebastian Vettel won four consecutive Driver’s Championships from 2010 to 2013. And now Horner seems to be replicating a similar success with reigning two-time champion Max Verstappen.
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F1 needs an ‘American Max Verstappen’: Christian Horner
In an interview with the New York Post, Christian Horner expressed doubts about whether Logan Sargeant would be the driver to increase the popularity of F1 in the United States as the 22-year-old will drive for Williams. This team has struggled to fight for wins and titles in the past few seasons.
“Imagine if there was an American Max Verstappen. What we need is a young, talented, competitive American driver,” said Horner when speaking of what F1 needs to improve the sport’s popularity in the US. Speaking of the qualities possessed by Sargeant, the Red Bull team principal added, “It’s great to have him there, and he’s a talented young guy [but] he’s going to be limited in what he can do.”
“I think if he was fighting at the front in a competitive car, then you’d see [something like] what happened with Fernando [Alonso] in Spain, or Checo [Perez] and the reaction in Mexico,” explained Horner.
The 49-year-old does not believe Sargeant can have the same impact as Alonso or Perez as Williams has finished last in the previous few seasons, with their drivers barely fighting for the points in most races.
Logan Sargeant excited to make his F1 debut
While speaking to reporters after Williams’ 2023 car launch, Logan Sargeant explained how delighted he was to be the first American to race in F1 in a while.
The 22-year-old said that he felt extremely ‘privileged’ to not only be the first American in a while to compete in F1 but also have the opportunity to compete in three home races: Miami, Circuit of the Americas in Austin and Las Vegas.
Although Horner raised concerns about whether Sargeant would be the one to help F1’s popularity increase in the US, the Williams driver believes that the sport has been at its ‘peak’ in his country. The 22-year-old explained that several people were keen to know more about the sport and that there was a ‘buzz.’
Sargeant will hope to impress his home fans when testing gets underway in Sakhir, beginning February 23. Meanwhile, the regular season will begin on March 3 in Bahrain.
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