Sargeant felt "less pressure than expected" to secure F1 superlicence
Williams Formula 1 signing Logan Sargeant says he felt less pressure than expected securing his FIA superlicence in Formula 2 because he was "at peace with what was at stake".

The American was announced over the United States Grand Prix weekend as Williams' 2023 Formula 1 driver, but only on the proviso that he could qualify for a superlicence.
Sargeant had to avoid finishing lower than sixth in the drivers' standings to get over the 40-point threshold and came into the Abu Dhabi finale third in the standings.
But with the points tightly bunched, as just 12 points seperated him from seventh-placed Liam Lawson, it was far from a given that Sargeant would meet his target.
However, he came through the Abu Dhabi weekend unscathed with points-scoring drives to sixth and fifth places which clinched fourth in the standings and secured his ticket to F1.
Despite being only one mishap away from seeing his F1 dream go up in smoke, Sargeant explained that he felt less pressure than expected having come to terms with what was at stake.
"I was trying to find a balance between risk versus reward, really," Sargeant said.
"It was actually not as much pressure as I expected because going into the weekend, I had become quite understanding of what was at stake and [was] quite at peace with it, so I just took the pressure off.
"I knew if we executed the way we could and had the same pace that we've had all year that everything would be fine.

Logan Sargeant, Carlin, Jack Doohan, Virtuosi Racing
Photo by: Motorsport Images
"But for sure in the races, I had to find a good balance between being over-aggressive and under-aggressive, I guess you could say.
"I think I wanted to stay very realistic and grounded and know that I still have a job to do.
"For sure, there was pressure on the weekend, and there was a bit of weight off my shoulders when we got the job done."
Sargeant added he wasn't told by Williams about any other targets he needed to hit this year, beyond securing enough superlicence points in what he branded a "strong rookie season".
"None that I was told in particular," the 21-year-old explained.
"It was just simply need to perform well and finish somewhere at the top of the championship in order to get my superlicence.
"I think with Carlin we had a really strong rookie season and at times maybe we didn’t execute as well as we could have. But I think the pace we showed was very strong, and we finished well in the championship."
Sargeant's year-long stint as a Williams academy member has allowed him to prepare as well as he could for his 2023 F1 debut, given the limited amount of pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Logan Sargeant, Williams
Photo by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Images
When asked how he felt he had developed as a driver over 2022, he said: "I just feel like the combination of going through an entire Formula 2 season, just learning a lot this year about myself as well as a lot of racing.
"I feel like I’ve really nailed down my qualifying performances.
"But most important is the amount of time I’ve spent on the F1 simulator, the FP1s I’ve done as of late, and coming into this last test - that’s what really gives me the chance to push out my comfort zones and improve the most."

Ranking the top 10 Formula 1 drivers of 2022
F1 2022 season tech review: How minnows attacked new rules

Latest news
Daytona 24, Hour 3: Cadillac leads Acura and Porsche
The #01 Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac leads the Acuras of Meyer Shank Racing and Wayne Taylor Racing after three hours of action in the 61st Daytona 24 Hours.
Hughes "happy to feel a nudge" over the line from Evans after Diriyah FE energy shortage
McLaren Formula E driver Jake Hughes says he was "happy to feel a nudge" from Mitch Evans in the Diriyah E-Prix, which pushed him over the finish line for fifth.
Daytona 24, Hour 1: Acura leads, BMW in trouble early
Tom Blomqvist lead the opening hour of the Daytona 24 Hours aboard the Meyer Shank Racing Acura, as BMW became the first of the GTP manufacturers to hit trouble.
F1 champion Button "definitely interested" in NASCAR road course outings
The 2009 Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button says competing in NASCAR Cup races on road courses is something he is "definitely interested in".
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? LUKE SMITH asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
When F1 ‘holiday’ races kept drivers busy through the winter
Modern Formula 1 fans have grown accustomed to a lull in racing during winter in the northern hemisphere. But, as MAURICE HAMILTON explains, there was a time when teams headed south of the equator rather than bunkering down in the factory. And why not? There was fun to be had, money to be made and reputations to forge…
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.