Williams F1 team is set to enter the 2023 season with a new driver pairing. Alex Albon retains his seat after an impressive debut season for the British outfit, but Nicholas Latifi parted ways with the team after three seasons. American talent Logan Sargeant will team up with Albon in the upcoming campaign.
The last American driver to race in F1 was Alexander Rossi, who drove for Marussia. Since then, no driver from the US has been able to make it to F1 until Sargent. His joining Williams is a huge opportunity for the team and the whole of F1 to capture the attention of American fans, who are getting more and more interested in the sport. However, according to Danica Patrick, there is still a lot of work to do before Sargeant becomes famous in America.
Patrick is a legend of American motorsport and is the most successful female racer in open-wheel racing in the country. Her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300 remains the only ever win by a woman in the series.
Talking about Sargeant representing the USA in F1 this season onwards, Patrick insists that he needs good PR work if he is to become a household name in the States.
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Will Williams be able to help Logan Sargeant grow?
In an interview with Sky Sports, Patrick admitted that Sargeant is not very popular in the US. This is primarily because the 22-year-old spent most of his junior career in Europe, away from the American audience. However, with proper advertisement, marketing, and good PR, she is sure about Sargeant becoming more familiar.
Nevertheless, she questions the role Williams will be able to play to push him forward. The Grove-based outfit has struggled massively over the last few years and finished last in the championship in 2022.
Providing the Fort Lauderdale-born driver with an opportunity in F1 was huge, but they have to make sure that they also give him the right machinery.
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Sargeant set to compete in three home races in 2023
2023 is going to be a huge year for F1 in the United States. Up until 2021, we had just one American venue on the calendar in the form of the US Grand Prix in Austin. In 2022, we saw Miami being added to the mix because of the sport’s growing popularity and demand in the States.
However, excitement levels among F1 fans hit their peak midway into 2022, when the Las Vegas GP was officially announced. The sin city is set to host the penultimate outing of 2023 in what is going to be one of the most anticipated races in recent years.
For Sargeant, it is a huge opportunity, because no other driver on the grid has the privilege of having three home races in the F1 schedule.
