Miami Grand Prix: Logan Sargeant on life in F1, ‘Lap of Legends,’ and extra

Method 1 is heading again to the USA.

And for one of many 20 drivers on the grid, it’s a true homecoming.

F1 returns to the US for the primary of three races stateside this weekend, with the third Miami Grand Prix. However for one driver particularly, it is a true residence race. Logan Sargeant, in his second season in F1, is about to drive in his second Miami Grand Prix, simply minutes from the place he grew up in Fort Lauderdale.

SB Nation caught up with Sargeant this week earlier than heading to Miami, to speak in regards to the begin to his second season, the stress of life in Method 1, racing in Miami, and even the one spot in South Seashore he would suggest for a chunk to eat.

A gradual begin to the season

When Williams formally started the 2024 F1 season, unveiling their challenger for this 12 months at a reside occasion in New York Metropolis, confidence across the group was excessive.

And with good motive.

Williams shocked the sphere final 12 months, in each Sargeant’s rookie season and the primary 12 months for Group Principal James Vowles. Due to a powerful efficiency from Alexander Albon, and Sargeant changing into the primary American driver since Michael Andretti again in 1993 to attain a degree in an F1 race, with a tenth-place end eventually season’s United States Grand Prix, Williams managed a seventh-place end within the Constructors’ Championship.

The idea was that the group might construct on that efficiency, and possibly even push a spot greater up the desk.

Whereas there’s plenty of season left, it has been a gradual begin for Williams. The group has but to open their account for the 2024 marketing campaign, and endured a troublesome weekend in Australia when a crash by Albon throughout observe left the group with only one operational automobile for the Australian Grand Prix. Vowles, calling it essentially the most “troublesome” determination of his profession, determined to slip Albon into Sargeant’s seat, sidelining the American driver in the course of the race.

Our dialog started with the group’s begin to the season, and the place the group’s collective mindset is heading into Miami.

“I believe once I take a look at the group, there’s areas that all of us have to, you recognize, try to enhance on. That all of us have to try to do some little bit of a greater job on, and I believe that’s the mindset. It’s simply attempting to get every part out of one another,” described Sargeant.

Everybody desires to do their half to in the end carry out the most effective we will over the course of a weekend. So for certain, we all know we have to do issues higher. Nevertheless it’s not like we’re demoralized,” continued the Williams driver. “If something, we’re simply working in the direction of making the issues that may be higher, higher.”

One of many issues that’s higher for the group this 12 months?

Their automobile.

Whereas Williams has but to complete within the factors this season, Sargeant known as the FW46, their challenger for the 2024 season, a giant enchancment over final season’s FW45.

Sadly, that does include a catch.

“The automobile is a giant step ahead from final 12 months, one-hundred p.c,” began Sargeant earlier than laughing. “I believe the problem is everybody’s made a giant step ahead from final 12 months.”

“So it’s all the time relative. It’s all the time a problem. I believe this 12 months [it’s] nearer than ever in that, backside midfield, midfield pack and it’s the main points that matter at this level. There’s some issues in, in the end that ought to begin to assist us preserve bettering and preserve getting extra, extra trip of [the FW46] however some persons are already bringing upgrades the previous few rounds and that’s positively uplifted them a bit.”

“We simply have to preserve working onerous to maintain attempting to enhance ourselves,” continued Sargeant. “Little question it’s gonna be powerful, it’s gonna be shut, however we simply have to preserve engaged on ourselves.”

The primary objective for Sargeant, and the group, heading ahead this season?

Clear weekends.

“It’s been slightly bit troublesome at instances for certain, however I believe there’s been plenty of constructive moments. So I believe we now have to try to lean into that greatest we will,” described Sargeant. “I believe the large factor is simply, I don’t assume as an entire we put collectively a clear weekend but, in order that’s our intention, that’s what we wanna do.

“And, I believe if we do this, it may well go away us in an honest place.”

Racing with “Legends”

We then turned the dialog to the upcoming “Lap of Legends.” Put collectively by Williams in partnership with Michelob Extremely, “Lap of Legends” pits Sargeant towards former Williams legends together with Mario Andretti, Damon Hill, Jenson Button, and extra. SB Nation spoke with Button lately concerning “Lap of Legends,” however now it was time to get Sargeant’s perspective.

“It was actually cool,” began Sargeant.

“I imply, one of many greatest items of a undertaking I’ve completed ever, particularly during the last two years. And I believe plenty of the stuff we did was was actually, actually cool.”

For the driving force, maybe the most effective a part of the expertise was the time spent with the Williams legends.

“I imply, one of many coolest components was having the ability to meet the legends of the previous in Williams’ historical past and even simply be capable to speak to them, get recommendation from them. Simply having these conversations was particular, and to have them part of it’s positively necessary,” described Sargeant. “I believe that basically makes the undertaking complete.

“Simply having the chance to study and speak to those guys who’ve had whole profession racing in Method One, and world champions. I believe it was very nice to listen to, I suppose you could possibly say, plenty of the similarities, plenty of the totally different challenges that all of us face and the way they greatest took these on,” continued Sargeant. “How they greatest handled the issues throughout their profession. In fact, it’s a distinct era and issues change. However on the similar time we’re nonetheless racing drivers and we perceive one another, which is, which is simply good to have these conversations.”

Was there a bit of recommendation that Sargeant obtained that stood out essentially the most?

“I believe the large factor was simply, and I believe all of us expertise, is simply to all the time consider in your self. I believe all of us spoke about it and the way huge the game is from a psychological perspective, and the way it’s essential be mentally powerful,” outlined Sargeant. “I believe the truth that all of us have skilled one thing like that throughout our careers and the way huge of a distinction that made by ensuring they’re capable of keep on high of that was good to listen to.”

One of many taglines within the promotional supplies for “Lap of Legends” talks about how the undertaking was designed to remind Sargeant to “benefit from the journey.”

So I requested the younger driver if that objective was achieved.

“I believe it’s all the time a kind of issues while you’re, you recognize, the highest of knowledgeable sport, the highest stage of competitors, it’s onerous. You’re giving every part you’ve gotten, it’s intense, it’s critical. You wish to do effectively, the stress to carry out no matter no matter it might be,” described Sargeant. “However I believe there’s positively moments all through, that I can pick the place I’m like, ‘oh, that was wonderful. That was tremendous cool to have the ability to do this and have that chance.’ So typically you do get caught up in it and it’s essential remind your self to step again, take a look at it from a distinct perspective. And, you recognize, attempt to get pleasure from how lucky you’re.”

Picture by Bryn Lennon – Method 1/Method 1 through Getty Photos

The stress of life in F1

One of many hardest issues to do as knowledgeable athlete is to dam out the noise.

Sadly, life in F1 comes with plenty of noise. Not simply the trackside noise, however the infinite hypothesis about job safety. With solely 20 seats accessible on the grid, and tons of upon tons of of drivers vying for these spots, there’s all the time stress to carry out.

So I requested Sargeant how onerous it’s to dam out that noise, and do the job at hand. Particularly throughout every week like this one, when he’s racing at residence, which brings added calls for on his time.

“It’s powerful,” began Sargeant.

“I’m fortunate, I obtained to return for a few days earlier than I flew out to New York for a few days of media. However not solely that I’ve Wednesday off, which is large. So I’ll spend that with household and associates, and it is very important block some stuff out.”

Sargeant then famous that blocking out the noise was one space he might need struggled with as a rookie.

“I believe final 12 months I didn’t do the most effective job at instances of letting issues outdoors of what I actually wanted to do, drain me an excessive amount of. In order that’s one thing I’m attempting to not let occur anymore,” described Sargeant. “However in fact, every part takes a toll, it’s simply the way in which life is.”

What got here subsequent was some life recommendation that I consider anybody may benefit from.

“I believe the most important factor is discovering these moments to spend with household and associates. When you want a second to your self, you simply wanna take it, loosen up for an evening, watch some TV, no matter it might be, play some golf with associates in the future.

“These are the large moments that may make a distinction to the way you’re feeling going right into a race.”

Racing at Exhausting Rock

Our dialog then turned to this weekend, and Sargeant’s second race at residence. However earlier than we talked racing, I did observe up on a earlier dialog with the Williams driver. The group debuted “Group Torque” earlier this 12 months, a podcast hosted by Sargeant and Albon. Within the first episode Sargeant famous {that a} dream visitor can be Tom Brady.

May that occur on this week’s installment?

“Not this weekend,” responded Sargeant.

However concern not NFL followers, there might be a soccer visitor on this week’s present that Sargeant teased throughout our dialog.

“We do have a particular soccer participant on the pod this weekend. It’ll be me, my coach and … you’ll quickly discover out,” mentioned Sargeant, dealing with the teaser obligations of podcast internet hosting to perfection.

I then requested Sargeant what I wanted to do whereas down in Miami, as this weekend marks my first journey to South Seashore.

“Properly, you’re placing stress on me now,” began Sargeant. “I imply, there’s nice meals that’s for certain. I might suggest a restaurant known as Mila. When you don’t wish to go down the meals route, you simply gotta get on the water by some means.”

If anybody at Mila is studying this, you’ve gotten your subsequent celeb endorser. And I’ll take a desk for one Sunday evening.

We then talked in regards to the race itself, and I requested Sargeant to stroll me by way of a lap at Miami. The driving force then educated me not simply on the monitor itself, however what you want from the automobile to achieve success within the Miami Grand Prix.

“I believe Miami is an attention-grabbing monitor. It’s very distinctive, it’s very totally different to plenty of tracks that we go to. You’ve obtained extraordinarily several types of sectors when it comes to low pace, excessive pace, tight and twisty, lengthy and flowing,” started Sargeant.

“The primary sector being lengthy, flowing, very a lot a rhythm-based sector. You need a automobile that’s gonna be complying over bumps, not unpredictable, one thing you can actually construct on. Whereas you take a look at Sector Two, it’s tight, twisty. You want a automobile that’s sharp, fast change of course, good on traction.

“So these two types sort of contradict one another slightly bit.

“So that you’re all the time looking for one of the simplest ways to make use of your instruments, but additionally [get] the arrange of the automobile to be as greatest balanced as you possibly can over these totally different types of corners. However typically a extremely enjoyable lap, a tough lap to get excellent.”

I then requested Sargeant in regards to the finish of Sector Two, the twisty part from Flip 11 by way of Flip 16, which you’ll be able to see above. Is that this the hardest part of the Miami circuit?

“I believe while you take a look at, you recognize, racing as an entire, there’s plenty of time on the desk in low pace corners and clearly having that tight, extraordinarily low pace part is necessary to get it collectively. However you do want a automobile that you simply’re snug with by way of there to have the ability to get every part out of it.

“However yeah it’s a tough little part for certain, particularly when you’ve gotten wind thrown in there.”

As for the way he and Williams will fare down in Miami, Sargeant ended our dialog on a really optimistic, upbeat observe.

“I’m not utterly certain the place we’re gonna be efficiency primarily based, however like I mentioned, I believe this monitor can doubtlessly go well with our automobile higher than a few the final ones we’ve been to. So slightly little bit of optimism there for certain.

“We have to execute a clear weekend and see the place that leaves us.”