Logan Sargeant did the work behind the wheel in Bahrain last weekend, but the Williams rookie made it a point of associating his long-standing trainer Ben Jacobs with his successful F1 debut.
Sargeant didn't put a foot wrong in the 57-lap race, taking a calm and composed approach to his maiden Grand Prix, letting events play out when necessary but also pressing on when required to finish his race P12.
"I’ve had a few days now to reflect on my first race weekend as an official Formula 1 driver," Sargeant wrote on the Williams website as he reflected on his baptism of fire in F1.
"Arriving on Thursday I was very comfortable, we had just had testing and I felt like I was as prepared as I could be for the weekend.
"It was quite nice to have three Free Practice sessions to play with instead of the one I had been used to! I was able to get the car into a window and find a good place to be for Qualifying and the Grand Prix – I just enjoyed the whole weekend and I loved every second of it.
"My off-season was full of physical work, simulator work and work on expanding my mental capacity, all of which has dramatically improved from last year.
"All the hours put in were worth it, but there’s still a lot to do.
"I feel that there’s still a lot of room for improvement and, to be honest, it’s a positive that I still have room to grow as an F1 driver."
From his formative years in the junior ranks of motorsport, starting with the Formula 4 UAE Championship in 2016, to his promotion this season to Formula 1, Sargeant has been accompanied by Jacobs, his personal trainer and number one supporter.
In the wake of his Grand Prix debut, the Williams charger paid tribute to the man that has kept him physically and mentally in top shape over the years, but also to a friend whose comforting presence has been critical in his moments of doubt.
"It’s only right that I pay tribute to someone who has been on this journey with me; my trainer, Ben Jacobs," commented Sargeant.
"Working with Ben over the last six years has been critical for me as a driver.
"Of course, he’s been getting me into grand prix condition physically, but we’ve been working on that for years.
"It wasn’t just one off-season that made a complete difference, but even just having that friend to travel with, someone who I’m comfortable being around, makes a huge difference through the weekends and can keep me more relaxed."
Ahead of his second Grand prix weekend, in Saudi Arabia, Sargeant also singled out new Williams team boss James Vowles from whom the American is learning a lot thanks to his presence and advice.
"I’ve also been able to learn plenty from James Vowles," he said.
"He has fit into the team really well, he’s brought a new sense of motivation to everyone and I feel like I’ve been able to take great advice from him.
"He’s great at working with young drivers, so I plan on just keeping that progression going and keep learning from his experience.
"Going into the rest of 2023, from a personal side, I feel very optimistic. I believe I can compete at a high level, I feel like I have a lot of room to keep growing and that’s a real positive for me.
"From a team perspective, we have to keep working hard. I honestly don't know what to expect at this point, but if we can all keep working hard to make the car better and to keep delivering upgrades, hopefully, we can stay competitive through the year."
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