Williams academy driver Logan Sargeant is set to become the first American in seven years to feature in a Formula One race weekend when he participates in the first practice session at the United States Grand Prix in October.
Sargeant will take over Williams driver Nicholas Latifi’s FW44 for the 60-minute session at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, the team said in a statement yesterday.
The 21-year-old Florida native, currently competing in his first season of Formula Two, is in line to become the first American since Alexander Rossi in 2015 to take part in an F1 grand prix weekend.
“I’m super excited to be given this opportunity to drive my first free practice in Austin,” Sargeant said. “To be given the chance at the US Grand Prix is something extremely special to me. “A massive thank you to Williams for putting the trust and belief in me to do a good job. The goal for me will be to learn as much as possible in the new generation of cars. “I’m looking forward to making the most of this experience and really enjoying it.”
Sargeant has made an impressive start to his rookie season in Formula Two with Carlin, notching two feature race wins along with two podiums to sit third in the standings. He became the first American to win a race in the rebranded Formula Two series when he triumphed at Silverstone in May.  Rossi, who now drives in IndyCar, won in Abu Dhabi in 2013 in what was then the GP2 series. Sargeant got his first taste of Formula One machinery when he took part in a young driver test with Williams in Abu Dhabi last December. All F1 teams must run a driver with limited F1 experience in at least two Friday first practice sessions this season.

Red Bull, Honda extend
technical support deal
Red Bull have extended their power unit support agreement with Honda until the end of the 2025 season after the Japanese manufacturer’s departure from Formula One, the team said in a statement yesterday. Honda withdrew from F1 at the end of 2021 after powering Max Verstappen to his maiden world championship, winning a drivers’ title for the first time since the late Brazilian triple champion Ayrton Senna triumphed with McLaren in 1991.
The Austrian outfit set up their own powertrain company to use Honda’s intellectual property to provide power units for their main Red Bull Racing Formula One team and Italy-based sister team AlphaTauri.
The partnership was initially intended to last until the end of 2023, with Red Bull set to take over the operation, but will now run until the end of 2025, when the sport introduces the next generation of power units. Red Bull are currently leading both Formula One championships by a comfortable margin, with Dutch driver Verstappen heading for a second straight world title.
“We thank Honda for their positive response to working together. We are excited to continue our partnership in F1,” Red Bull’s team adviser Helmut Marko said.
“We have had a successful relationship so far, winning the drivers’ championship in 2021 and currently leading the drivers’ and teams’ classifications, with the aim of securing both 2022 titles.” Honda, which left as a constructor in 2008, announced last year its departure from F1 as an engine manufacturer at the end of 2021 to focus on zero-emission technology. Formula One teams and manufacturers have agreed to “freeze” power unit development from the start of 2022 until the end of 2025, when the engine regulations are set for a revamp.