Sargeant struggled through his rookie year with Williams, having an early tendency to overdrive a difficult to handle FW45 to keep up with team-mate Alex Albon.
While the Floridian made gains through the latter half of the year, which saw him rewarded with a second year, he still only ended the season with just one point amid what he felt was a draining experience.
Having realised he was physically behind where he needed to be, Sargeant completely altered his preparation for 2024.
“The off season has been such a good opportunity for me to take a step back and look at myself from mental, emotional and physical standpoint where I need to do improve, where I need to get better,” Sargeant said at Williams’ season launch.
“I learned that I need to manage myself much better. I let myself get very drained throughout the season and I let that affect me off the track, which ultimately brings it onto the track.
“I wasn’t physically in the place I need to be and I’ve done everything I can to get on top of that. For example, I’m five kilos heavier than I was at the end of last year, and I feel much more healthy and much more ready to go.
“I feel like a different man, I feel like physically I am in the best shape I’ve ever been. And I believe in the condition I’m in now and will continue to get to will be simply just helping me feel more comfortable in the car and extract performance.”
Logan Sargeant, Williams Racing
Photo by: Williams
Sargeant’s rookie plight wasn’t help by Williams having an ill-handling car that required a particular driving style that both he and Albon had to adapt to. Having a more compliant, all-round car that has a wider operating window has been the number one priority for Williams, and Albon believes the FW46 will make it easier for his team-mate to get into the right rhythm.
“Logan will have that experience now into this year, I don’t think it’ll be so much of a learning curve for him,” Albon said. “I personally believe that the car’s gonna be a bit easier to drive.
“Our car was very unique. I spent two years refining a very strange driving style, which for someone coming into the car for the first time, without any prior F1 experience, is difficult.
“It was very easy to overdrive the car. I think naturally the car’s going to go towards him as in a bit less on a knife edge and more usable. So I think what you’re going to see is a guy with a lot more experience and a car that should be more usable and…
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