F1 had spent such a long time without an American driver that the need for one almost became paramount. Logan Sargeant will fill that void in 2023. A big reason why F1 and the teams craved having an American was owing to the incredible viewership and investment boost the sport would get with their presence. Sargeant’s presence could open that floodgate. However, his presence could also turn out to be a threat to some.

Logan, in what was a big drivers’ reshuffle towards the end of the 2022 season, took the seat of outgoing Nicholas Latifi. As that saga came to an end, another started as team principals jumped ship one after the other. Grabbing a great opportunity, Williams roped Mercedes’ chief strategist, James Vowles, in as their team boss. Both steps could turn out to be game-changing for the Oxfordshire-based team, which is looking to turn its fate around.

For that to happen, their senior driver, Alex Albon, will have to start firing on all cylinders. Otherwise, according to Mika Hakkinen, things could turn out to be very ugly for him. In a Twitter video, he said, “Albon is a peculiar driver. Many other drivers say he’s very talented. But for some reason, he hasn’t been able to transform his talent into the pace of the car. He hasn’t managed to do that. It’s hard to say why. Maybe he just needs more experience.”

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In the post’s caption, Hakkinen wrote, “Logan Sargeant has shown promising results. Plus having an American driver is a good thing in marketing-wise to #WeAreWilliams.”

“However, Alexander Albon really has to show his talent in the upcoming season. If he doesn’t beat Sargeant, it’s game over for him in #F1.”

For now, both Williams drivers are looking to prioritize the results for the team rather than fighting each on the track.

Logan Sargeant looking forward to working with Alex Albon

Earlier last month, like every other team, Williams unveiled their 2023 car. The English team got a good response from the fans as teams like Red Bull were slammed for sporting a similar livery in the last few years. Speaking after the unveiling, Sargeant talked about his relationship with his new teammate.

Speaking with F1’s Lawrence Barretto, he said, “Me and Alex have a really good relationship. I met him at the start of 2022 and he’s always been such an open and helpful teammate. He clearly wants the best for the team, which is really good and someone I’m really looking forward to working with throughout 2023. I think with hopefully both of us looking to push each other forward, that also helps the team push forward.”

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Williams finished 10th in the standings last year and will hope to change that in the upcoming season. For that to happen, they will need both their drivers to click and work in tandem with each other.