Logan Sargeant recorded a career-best qualifying result at Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix and is keen to exploit Williams’ “annoying” advantage in the race.
Sargeant was amongst the stars of the session as he progressed through to Q3 for only the second time in his F1 stint, clocking the seventh-fastest lap time in the final stage.
A 10-place grid penalty for Carlos Sainz promotes the American rookie to sixth on the grid as Williams managed to lock out the third row at the Las Vegas Strip Circuit.
Williams’ straight-line prowess gave the team the upper hand on the Strip’s 1.9km straight and helped Sargeant end a seven-race absence from the top-10 shootout.
“I’m a very happy boy,” said the enthused Williams driver after the session. “I just feel like, especially to execute over three separate sessions, finally extracting this potential that we’ve had, and yeah, to do it here in Vegas is extra special.
“And I think highlighted by the fact we have a great car here and it’s not easy to deliver on that performance, so the fact we were able to do that and continuously do that through the whole qualifying session is awesome.”
“And to be honest, [the track was] becoming more and more fun to drive every session as the grip is coming. I don’t think we could have done a whole lot more today.
“I think we’ve extracted everything very well. And most importantly, we have two cars at the front of the grid to try and keep that.
A large part of Williams’ success in Saturday’s Grand Prix will hinge on the team’s ability to out-drag the opposition after setting the benchmark in terms of top speeds this weekend.
“I think obviously today is highlighted by the fact that we have a quick car here. But we still have to extract that performance,” he added.
“Obviously the goal is we’ve had great race pace the past three or four races and trying to keep that up tomorrow. So yeah, obviously you want to continue this and have a great day tomorrow.
“I think we have a very annoying car down the straights for others so we’ll try and use that to our advantage!”
“I think after putting so much hard work into trying to be able to do these things, it’s very irritating when in the past rounds you see the potential but you don’t do it.
“I came today and just didn’t want to look at anyone else but myself. Not focus on anyone else, just drive the best I can. And yeah, obviously happy to have delivered in three sessions and three laps.”
A superb Friday night hands Williams a massive advantage heading into the Las Vegas Grand Prix, as the Grove outfit seeks to extend a seven-point advantage over AlphaTauri in the battle for seventh in the Constructors’ Standings.
