The 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be Logan Sargeant’s first sprint weekend in F1. He’s no stranger to such a format as last year he competed in F2. In F1’s feeder series, it’s practice and qualifying on the Friday, with a sprint and feature race taking place on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Speaking at a media session in Baku, the American is delighted to have an opportunity to do two qualifying sessions and two races this weekend as he continues to gain invaluable experience in Formula One.
“I think honestly quite excited to have two qualis and two races, just a chance for me to gain more experience under pressure situations. So yeah, I’m looking forward to it.”
Sargeant’s F1 debut in Bahrain was helped by the fact that pre-season testing took place at the same venue just a week before the race weekend itself.
A lack of experience around Albert Park in Melbourne at the start of the month and next weekend in Miami is something that Sargeant will need to get used to at times in 2023.
“It definitely makes a difference [not having the experience]. I think it’s difficult going to tracks you don’t know extremely well.”
However, Baku is a venue Sargeant raced at last year and can treat it like an F2 weekend because there is only a single practice session before heading into qualifying. The American finished a strong P2 in the feature race last year.
“I think this one I’m fairly comfortable coming into,” Sargeant said. “It kind of gives me a chance to have an F2 mentality coming into Friday because it’s an hour of free practice straight into qualifying.
“I’m fresh off of doing that last year and I think we’re going to be in for a decent weekend.”
Sargeant has shown signs of really strong pace over the course of a weekend — in Jeddah he would have made it through Q1 if it wasn’t for a lap time deletion because of track limits — but has ultimately fallen short in the first segment of qualifying at the first three rounds of the season.
The 22-year-old has two opportunities to get out of Q1 in Baku and says it “has to be goal” on either Friday or Saturday.
“It’s definitely been… I want to say it has been a little bit frustrating to have not put it together,” he stated.
“We have had the pace to go to Q2 in every round and it hasn’t happened. That has to be the goal for me this weekend, to be able to put it together better and find myself in a better position at the end of qualifying.
“That ultimately changes your entire strategy and the way you look at the races on Saturday and Sunday. That has to be the aim.”
Photo credit: Williams Racing
