With Carlos Sainz set to join Williams next season, Logan Sargeant’s F1 career appears to have come to an end for the time being. The American driver will be replaced by the #55 driver with no potential seat available for him to race in the sport, at least in 2025.
Speaking about the two years Sargeant has spent in F1, Lawrence Barretto and the hosts of the ‘Nailing the Apex’ podcast discussed the Williams driver’s torrid spell. The trio believes that Sargeant never really got the right opportunity to showcase his driving talents against some of the best drivers in the world.
Their hypothesis is that he was thrust into that second Williams seat a little too early. Moreover, Barretto argued that Sargeant did not develop as quickly as other F1 drivers, rookies or not. And that, he said, is the brutal nature of the sport, as drivers get the boot when they don’t live up to expectations.
Still, given he is only 23, the F1 writer believes one cannot deem Sargeant as a bad driver, solely judging by his two years at Williams. Barretto summarized it by saying,
“I think he’ll get more opportunities. It’s just that it was the wrong time and the wrong place for him to get a shot.”
As things stand, Sargeant does not a have realistic possibility of continuing his F1 career. Though the driver’s market is still very fluid, it seems unlikely that anyone would want to pick the American up at this stage of his career.
Having said that, the hosts and Barretto also were in agreement that being axed by Williams would not spell the end of his racing career. They believe that Sargeant will most probably end up across the pond, and compete in IndyCar for instance.
What are Sargeant’s options after his Williams sacking?
Sargeant’s predecessor, Nicholas Latifi suffered from a similar lack of performance before getting the pink slip from the Grove-based team. However, the Canadian driver decided to put his racing career on hold for a bit by going off to do an MBA.
On the other hand, Sargeant is likely to be influenced by the careers of other former F1 drivers who have made a successful career in America by switching to IndyCar. Barretto also believes that Sargeant would be a competitive driver, if he is in a fostering environment.
| Logan Sargeant is expected to race in IndyCar next season.
Negotiations are already underway:https://t.co/6lv2mRvaJl
— formularacers (@formularacers_) July 31, 2024
As for the IndyCar potential, there are reports of Prema racing approaching Sargeant for a seat in the American open-wheel series. The Prema brand will also debut in IndyCar in the 2025 season with its new team. Thus, having its former F3 driver at the wheel would only benefit them and Sargeant would also get to advance his skills in IndyCar.
