Sargent: It will be a little easier for me on the European stages

Logan Sargent spoke in his column on the championship’s official website about his experience at the first Grand Prix of his debut season with the Williams team.

My first year in Formula 1 is different, but the process of overcoming difficulties gives me pleasure and I want to share my impressions of how things are going.

There were positive moments, there were negative ones, but in the early stages of my Formula 1 career this was to be expected. I spent the first two stages of the season feeling confident. Qualifying in Jeddah could have been quite successful, but my best time was scrapped and in the next two attempts I couldn’t show a result sufficient to qualify for the second session. But the start of the season was encouraging.

After that the races were held on two circuits I hadn’t driven before – in Melbourne’s Albert Park and in Miami (and there was another stage in Baku between them), and the situation there got a bit more complicated, although I learned a lot .

In Baku I rode better every session, but the accident in qualifying on Saturday, which preceded the sprint, overshadowed the whole weekend. But there was also something positive there, in both qualifying sessions I managed to get into the second session.

At my home race in Miami, I had an absolutely incredible experience. I was born in Fort Lauderdale, a city just 30 minutes from the track, so it was great to drive a Formula 1 car there in front of a packed crowd. The pilot parade was one of the highlights of the season. During the weekend I was constantly busy with different things and I liked to communicate with the American fans.

If we talk about the track, it was difficult for me to get a good speed, especially in the first sector. Only in qualifying did I feel that everything was starting to work out, but it was already too late.

When results are so tight and margins minimal, even the smallest miss is quite expensive. It wasn’t fun starting from 20th position, and then there was contact with one of the rivals on the first lap, which forced me to pit almost immediately, but it seems I was able to work well with rubber, and also this a good experience.

In the Williams team I am fully supported and that makes me very happy. Everyone understands that the main task now is to try to spend the weekend, avoid problems and troubles, and not worry too much about the results on the circle or the pace, and only then move on. That’s what we’re trying to do, although it’s easier said than done.

After the Australian Grand Prix we flew straight to New York, where I worked with our team for three days. Every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., we spoke to the press and participated in various actions. My brother came especially for me and we had a great time in the city.

Before that, I was the only one in New York, and as a kid, and I don’t remember that trip very well. But this is one of those special cities where the energy is constantly felt. Maybe I just don’t notice it in London, because I live there and I’m already used to it. But I really liked New York, now I want to return there as soon as possible.

Let’s move to Miami. There Alex Albon and I rented a convertible to drive through the area. I was driving but my partner will be driving when we do a similar tour of Monaco.

Along the way, the fans recognized us several times, which is always nice. It’s great to have had the chance to spend more time in Alex’s company, chatting along the way and discussing the start of the season, talking about how these first races have gone for us, but most importantly for the whole of Williams -team.

So far this year I have nothing to brag about, but I think in the European stages, starting from Imola, it will be a bit easier for me. Still, I feel a huge difference when I race on the tracks I’ve already raced. I don’t have to adapt for so long and from the first training I will be able to attack more aggressively. and this allows you to fly closer to the limit of what is possible than on new circuits for me.

So far the biggest problems are related to this: when I’m used to a new track, it’s not immediately possible to pick up the required speed, so I have to be careful in qualifying. And if you’re flying in which you’ve already driven more than once, you know how to act, what to ask of the car and how to navigate every corner.

That is why I want the series of three European races in a row to start as soon as possible. I’ll try to do my best, but I just have to try to get everything done.