AUSTIN — American driver Logan Sargeant will race for Williams in F1 next season if he gets the final superlicence points he needs in Formula 2 this year, the team confirmed on Saturday.
Sargeant, 21, would become the first American on the F1 grid since Alexander Rossi in 2015, replacing the outgoing Nicholas Latifi.
Sargeant needs to have 40 points on his superlicence to join the grid — he now has 28 and could get 30 from planned Friday practice appearances in Mexico and Abu Dhabi if he completes over 100km, penalty free, in both.
He is currently third in the F2 championship and would need to finish sixth or higher to collect the remaining points he needs. F1’s feeder series has two races remaining, both ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.
It is unclear whether Williams has a back-up plan in case Sargeant is unable to collect the points he needs.
The Floridian drove for Williams in Friday practice for the U.S. Grand Prix this weekend, his first taste of F1 machinery.
The news was confirmed by Williams boss Jost Capito on Saturday’s press conference in Austin.
More to follow…