F1 grid for 2024 complete as Williams retain Sargeant after rookie season

Logan Sargeant will keep his spot at Williams in 2024, the Grove outfit have announced, with the American racer earning an extension following his rookie season.

Sargeant stepped up to F1 as a race winner in Formula 4, Formula 3 and Formula 2, where he placed fourth in the 2022 standings behind Red Bull-backed Liam Lawson, Sauber’s Theo Pourchaire and Aston Martin reserve Felipe Drugovich.

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While his first campaign in the top echelon brought several incidents and plenty of scrutiny, the 22-year-old made gains as the year went by, enough that Williams ultimately decided to keep faith and retain him alongside the already-confirmed Alex Albon.

Sargeant claimed one point over the course of 2023 which, combined with the 27 scored by team mate Albon, was enough for Williams to rise from the bottom of the F1 constructors’ standings to seventh position.

Williams’ confirmation, issued on Friday afternoon, stated that Sargeant had “demonstrated the fundamental speed required to perform at the highest level, building on these foundations race by race”.

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Offering an initial reaction to his renewal, Sargeant commented: “I am thrilled to be continuing with Williams Racing for the 2024 season.

“It has been an incredible journey with the team so far, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue developing as a driver within such a talented and dedicated group.

“We have exciting plans for the future, and I can’t wait to contribute to the team’s success in the coming year.”

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Williams team boss James Vowles also had his say as he explained the decision to back Sargeant rather than look elsewhere, adding: “I am pleased to continue our journey with Logan into the 2024 season.

“Logan has demonstrated immense skill whilst under the pressure of the world stage, making him a perfect fit for our team.

“We have great confidence in his abilities and believe that together we can achieve even greater success in the upcoming season.”

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Confirmation of Williams’ full line-up means the 2024 grid is now complete, with the only change from the 20 drivers who started the 2023 season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix being Daniel Ricciardo, who replaced Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri midway through the year.