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Sargeant will make his F1 debut with Williams next year, replacing Nicholas Latifi after earning enough superlicence points in his rookie Formula 2 season to make the jump. Williams has officially confirmed that Sargeant will race in F1 with the number #2 as his permanent number, making him the second driver to do so since the system was implemented in 2014. On Wednesday, the team announced the announcement via a short social post on its platforms, using the hashtag #LS2. Sargeant was able to choose #2 as his number because it has been more than two seasons since Stoffel Vandoorne raced with it at McLaren in 2017 and 2018.
Williams team principal Jost Capito said during the US Grand Prix weekend in October that Sargeant would be in line for a spot in 2023 if he accumulated the necessary superlicence points. Sargeant crossed the finish line in fourth place in the F2 championship at the Abu Dhabi season finale, resulting in his formal confirmation the next day. Sargeant’s push to get up to speed was supported by Williams, who fielded him in four FP1 sessions at the close of the season, as well as a full day of running in the post-race test in Abu Dhabi.
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After the test in Abu Dhabi, Sargeant stated that his goal was to “get comfortable in the car and really push the limit” without the pressure of adhering to a practise run schedule and looking after the car for the full-time driver. “It’s touch and go in the FP1s because you need to get your 100km and you don’t have much time,” Sargeant added. “Whereas today, I was able to find the limit and become comfortable with it, as well as learn how to adjust the car balance to my liking simply by turning the steering wheel.”
“That is obviously work in progress, and it will be for some time.” But it gives you a fair idea of what those tools do.” Sargeant will spend the winter running private tests in an Alpine F1 car to further his development before getting a day and a half in the 2023 Williams during pre-season testing.
