Dopo la delusione di Melbourne, mi sento “psicologicamente migliore”

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Logan Sargeant was shocked at the Australian Grand Prix: Alexander Albon crashed heavily into the wall during free practice, rendering his car unusable. Williams had to withdraw the chassis, but the team decided to put Albon in Sargeant’s car while the American was forced to watch from the sidelines. Before the race in Suzuka, Sargeant dealt with the difficult situation.

“It is what it is,” Sargeant said before the Japanese Grand Prix. “Friday was a good day for me, and I wanted to carry that momentum into the rest of the weekend. This was a situation I never wanted to experience. But it was also a situation the team didn’t want to be in. It was naturally disappointing.”

Sargeant understood the “logic” behind the team’s decision but also wanted “urgently to drive.” The 23-year-old did not dwell on the difficult situation for long. When he left Australia, he no longer thought about being benched. “I was away for a week and tried to stay in my little world away from racing. I feel as good as ever now.”

Conversations went well. “Psychologically, I feel much better now,” Sargeant continued. “Through the one-week break, I see things from a different perspective now. We had a good start to the season, even if you couldn’t see it in qualifying. I continue with the attitude that I am almost where I should be.”

Williams sought a conversation with Sargeant, and team boss James Vowles sat down with his young driver. “He always wants two cars on the track, and we had a natural conversation,” the American said. “He explained his decision to me, and I understood it. As a team, we moved on and tried to achieve the best possible result with one car.”

Sargeant fully committed to the team’s service and sacrificed his own needs. “Everyone here works as hard as they can,” explained the youngster. “I don’t blame anyone. Everyone does their best. Even I make mistakes, the team makes mistakes, and then we move on.” The American seems to be forgiving and now wants to focus fully on Suzuka.

But even there, Williams will face a gamble again as the replacement chassis is not ready yet. So Williams will travel to Japan with only two cars, meaning a crash could have far-reaching consequences once again. Sargeant expects to have a new chassis starting from the race in Miami. In Suzuka, he will have to rely on Albon’s repaired chassis.

“I believe it’s only 100 grams heavier, so almost nothing,” Sargeant said about the repaired car. The American also appreciates the support of the fans. “That was very nice,” he explained. “Melbourne has a great atmosphere. It’s an energetic weekend with fantastic fans. That certainly gave me a boost of motivation.”

But what happens if this situation repeats in Suzuka? Would Sargeant have to vacate the cockpit again for Albon? “We haven’t discussed that, and I haven’t thought about it either,” Sargeant admits. “I just believe everything will be fine.” Williams also has not made a statement on this worst-case scenario.

Despite the situation in Melbourne, Albon does not intend to change his approach and wants to attack in Suzuka to secure the team’s first points in the 2024 Formula 1 season. “The approach is the same as in the first race,” said the Williams driver, who aims to score points in Suzuka and China without a replacement chassis.