F1 usually supports some causes quite diligently. One of these quests has been getting an American driver in the sport. After a lot of possibilities, this quest was over in 2022. Williams announced Logan Sargeant as their full-time driver for 2023 giving the USA their own driver to support. While it was also a huge moment for F1, it was Sargeant whose life completely changed after this moment. Even before the American rookie has begun racing in F1, his popularity in the US has already surged.
Speaking on the Speed Street podcast, IndyCar driver Kyle Kirkwood spoke about the rising stocks of Logan Sargeant. He mentioned some anecdotes about how Sargeant is enjoying American fame even before stepping foot in an F1 car as a full-time driver.
Kyle said, “Dude, it’s insane what F1 does to people! He [Logan Sargeant] hasn’t even driven a race. He has done a couple [of] tests. We went out in Delray one night and we just went to one of the local bars. He is getting stopped by people, he got stopped by the bouncer: Oh my God, Are you Logan Sargeant? And I’m like he hasn’t even ran a race yet.”
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Kirkwood races for Andretti Autosport in IndyCar and has had a varied journey in motorsport. Logan is a good friend of his and the two often hang out together.
Kyle also cited how even girls once stopped Logan to click pictures when they attended a Florida Panthers NHL game. He said, “We went to [a] Florida Panthers game. I kid you not, he got stopped by 10 different girls, that wanted to take a photo with him.”
Americans are amazingly passionate about their sports stars. Regardless of any sports, if any of their countrymen or women do well, they garner a lot of respect and support for them. But, will this passion and support help Logan Sargeant or pressurize him?
Can Logan Sargeant Carry the Weight of Expectations from his Supporters?
It ain’t the case that Sargeant may fare badly in F1. In fact, with fewer eyes on him, he may turn out to be a surprise package in the 2023 season. Now, the USA will be hosting 3 races this year. So, Logan will have a lot of fans supporting him in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas.
Although, the competitiveness of the Williams car might help the rookie to mellow the expectations from him. No one is expecting the Grove-based outfit to come guns blazing as a regular mid-field team. So, Logan will have the comfort of just trying his best to get in the lower half of points, if he can.
Certainly in a chaotic race, if the man from Florida can steal a magic result, it would be amazing. Nonetheless, fans won’t expect him to pull off a podium out of nowhere at the Miami GP in the Williams car. The rookie season will be all about showing the speed and overtaking capabilities to turn some heads around in the paddock.
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A good incident-free season with confident driving can shoot up Logan’s stocks in the paddock. Also, at his 3 home races in the US, if Sargeant can hold his nerve and not feel any pressure, he should be fine with his racing skills.
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Sargeant would like to keep his popularity on the upward trajectory with a strong rookie season. Besides the competitiveness of his car, the American driver has got all things in his hand to prove his mettle in F1. What do you think? Can Logan live up to his rising popularity in F1?