From Williams exit to WEC reset

After years working toward Formula 1 and becoming the first American to compete in the pinnacle of single-seater racing in eight years, Logan Sargeant’s F1 career went up in flames — near-literally. Sargeant competed for Williams in 36 races, but the stint ended abruptly halfway through the 2024 campaign after a fiery crash in practice and minimal gains at the Dutch Grand Prix. Just days after finishing 16th in that race, Williams opted to replace Sargeant with Franco Colapinto.

Looking back on the summer of 2024, Sargeant said he felt almost relieved when that chapter closed.

"What I was sick and tired of was my situation and where I was with what I was doing. I was glad that portion was over because I didn’t feel like I was being treated fairly, and I didn’t see a clear path out."

Cut from Williams, Sargeant stepped away from the racing world for several months. He returned home to Florida after 12 years living in Europe, going fishing and golfing and spending time with friends and family. He attempted an IndyCar test at Thermal Racing Club near Palm Springs, Calif., with Meyer-Shank Racing in November 2024, but owner Mike Shank did not have a seat and Sargeant said he didn’t feel ready to return full-time anyway.

Finding the pull back to motorsport

"At a certain point, I always knew (returning to racing) was going to happen," Sargeant told The Athletic. "But I just wanted to give myself time to just naturally want to race again, not kind of force myself to do so. I think that was important because if you just keep forcing yourself to do it, you’re not going to regather that enjoyment to actually want to do it."

During his hiatus he did limited tests, including the October 2024 IndyCar run and an LMP2 test with IDEC Sport in December 2024. He never considered returning to F1, admitting that a better first season might have kept him there. Instead he built a lighter schedule that let him prioritize life outside racing.

"It’s not so top-loaded racing-wise that I can’t do anything else in my life," he said.

"Truthfully, those things were a little forced at the time. I wasn’t really ready to get back into a car. I wasn’t really interested. Not saying they didn’t go well," Sargeant recalled. "I was just in a place where I wasn’t overly interested in getting back into it, and I needed more time, which is ultimately what I had to explain to people."

Within a month of signing a new manager, Sargeant was back behind the wheel of an LMP2 car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 2025. "The second I sat back in the car, it was like I never left. There was really no rust to knock off."

Endurance racing and Ford

Sargeant has long been drawn to endurance racing. He enjoyed the team-focused, laid-back environment from his 2021 races, calling it "a much more enjoyable environment to be a part of" than F1. He contrasted the worlds: endurance racing has fun at the track, while in F1 "it’s fun to drive the car, sure, but outside of that, it’s extremely cutthroat, and I think it drains on everyone."

His first race back came in September 2025 with two IMSA rounds, where he regained joy from battling other cars without extreme aerodynamic wash. Around that time Ford was adding drivers to its factory team and upcoming Hypercar program, targeting a World Endurance Championship entry in 2027. The program completed its first on-track test at Circuit Paul Ricard in August.

"It’s the pinnacle of endurance racing, and the ultimate pinnacle of endurance racing is Le Mans and Hypercar. It’s what everyone wants to win. It’s the reason we have so many great manufacturers now racing in Hypercar."

The last time Ford won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall was in 1969. Sargeant’s goal is to help bring Ford back to its former glory and he wants to stay with the American manufacturer for as long as he continues racing.

Healthier mindset in LMGT3

The 2026 WEC season has been tough for Sargeant and his team, who sit 19th in the LMGT3 category with 14 points heading into the Austin Lone Star Le Mans weekend. Ten of those points came from Brazil, the last race, a turnaround Sargeant highlighted.

Sitting on a video call with The Athletic a week before Austin, Sargeant appeared lighter and happier — a stark change from his F1 years. He said he has a healthier mindset than when living in Europe and traveling 20-plus weeks a year, and feels freer in the car with less pressure.

"Logan as a person has changed a lot since (my) F1 days — a lot more laid back, more stress-free when it comes to my profession. So it just gives me a chance to have a normal life outside of work and just be a little more free."