Sargeant: Physically I was not in the place I needed to be

In the era of hefty F1 cars, it is notable that Logan Sargeant is admitting to have put on a whopping 5 kilograms over the winter break.

A rookie in 2023, the 23-year-old American had to fight to keep his place at Williams for this season, having been clearly outclassed by on-form teammate Alex Albon.

But significantly, whilst many other drivers also suffered in the immensely hot conditions, Sargeant actually retired from the incredibly hot Qatar GP last year with heatstroke and severe dehydration.

So as the 2024 Williams livery was launched in New York earlier this week, Sargeant admitted he used the off-season period to "analyse myself from a mental and physical point of view".

He now says he is in "the best physical condition of my career" - bolstered by a full 5 kilograms of extra and visible muscle mass.

"I feel more prepared than ever to take the step that I know I can take," said Sargeant, according to the Spanish sports daily Marca.

"I think it’s all in the details. I’ve learned that I have to control myself much better. Throughout the season I let myself get carried away by exhaustion and I let that affect me off the track, which in the end translates to the track.

"Physically I was not in the place I needed to be and I have done everything I can to get myself ready."

When asked about the odd modern phenomenon of a Formula 1 driver actually putting on a significant amount of weight, teammate Albon backed his Williams colleague.

"Logan is about 7 or 8 centimetres shorter than me, so he can afford to gain those 5 kilos," he said.

"If I gained that weight, yes unfortunately for me I would be five kilos overweight. My weight is already right at the limit, so it is a little more difficult for me to gain muscle mass without slowing down in the car."