Logan Sargeant Reacts to Making American Formula 1 History: 'What an Experience'
The 22-year-old rookie finished 10th at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas after two rivals were disqualified
CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty
Williams' US driver Logan Sargeant speaks during a press conference ahead of the United States Formula One Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, on October 19, 2023.Logan Sargeant made history on Sunday as he became the first American driver to score a point in Formula 1 in 30 years, according to multiple reports.
The 22-year-old rookie finished 10th at Austin's Circuit of the Americas after two rivals — Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc — were disqualified for technical infringements, ESPN reported.
“First points in @F1 LFG 🔥,” Sargeant captioned a post on Instagram alongside a series of photos, including a selfie of him pumping his fist and several from the race. “What an experience, thank you to the fans, COTA and my crew, gave it my all from start to finish @williamsracing 🤘🏼🇺🇸”
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Before Sargeant’s triumph, Michael Andrett was the last American driver to score in a grand prix back in 1993, per ESPN.
"It's amazing to score my first point in F1 on home turf after the challenging weekend I've had," Sargeant said, per the outlet. "I'm so proud of this team and myself for the hard work and progress we've been making this season."
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"We worked hard overnight to find a direction with the car that was going to be positive, and we found that,” he continued. “The pace was so much better today, and I was driving really well."
After finishing last in the Sprint race on Saturday, Sargeant showed his resilience and skill in his debut F1 season by making a comeback, CNN reported. He also improved his performance from the previous Qatar Grand Prix, where he retired due to severe dehydration caused by the extreme heat, per the outlet.
“I can see his performance,” teammate Alex Albon said of the rookie’s setbacks, per The Athletic. “I do think he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves. There is a lot of speed and talent within Logan.”
“I think it’s just been a little bit offset with a couple of mistakes that he’s had,” Albon added, noting, “I think he just needs a bit more time and confidence.”
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