Williams junior Sargeant says F1 'a massive step up'

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Williams junior Logan Sargeant described his maiden test onboard an F1 car as "the experience of a lifetime" and a "massive step up" from F2 and F3.

Sargeant, who was recently signed up by Williams to its young driver program, completed 92 laps of Yas Marina on Tuesday at the wheel of the Grove-based outfit's 2021 FW43B.

The 20-year-old American took a cautious approach to the test and never put a foot wrong as he ran through the team's full programme.

"What an incredible first day in a Formula One car!" commented Sargeant at the end of a memorable day.

"It was everything I expected and more. I want to start by saying a massive thank you to Williams, as that was the experience of a lifetime.

"The team did a great job preparing me for today and giving me the confidence to go out there, enjoy it and do the best I could."

The recently-signed Carlin F2 driver says he felt comfortable relatively quickly onboard his Williams mount, the car raced this season by George Russell and Nicholas Latifi.

But Sargeant was impressed with the significant clear step-up in performance offered by the F1 machine.

"We got through the run plan and I really progressed a lot throughout the test," he said.

Read also: O'Ward lost for words after 'insane' McLaren F1 test

The first couple of runs felt unbelievable with the amount of grip and power the car has, but I got used to it fairly quickly and felt comfortable by the end of the day.

"It’s definitely a massive step up from the FIA Formula 2 and FIA Formula 3 cars; the brake performance is much better and there’s a lot more downforce.

"The stopping power was like nothing I’ve felt before!

"The more you drive, the more you learn and the more pace you find, so I was happy with the lap times I was putting in by the time we finished today."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.