The unbeaten champion of the Miami circuit, Max Verstappen, emerged victorious in the sprint race, securing his third consecutive title in F1. Finishing at a considerable distance, Sargeant secured 12th place, two positions ahead of his Williams teammate, Alex Albon.
However, things took a turn during the qualifying round for the Sunday race, when Sargeant found himself in a distant 17th position among the 20 drivers.
Eager to know if he had advanced out of the first qualifying group, Sargeant radioed his Williams team, asking anxiously: “Are we in? Please tell me we’re in!” Unfortunately, he received the disappointing news that he had not made it. Sargeant’s response was simple: “What a shame.”
To secure his spot, Sargeant needs to consistently match Albon’s performance, a requirement emphasized by Williams team boss James Vowles. However, Sargeant has not yet met that expectation.
Speculation suggests that Sargeant could be replaced as early as the May 19 race in Imola, Italy. The leading candidate to take his place is Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli. At just 17 years old, Antonelli competes in Formula 2 but does not have the Super License required for F1 races. A request has been made to the FIA to grant Antonelli a Super License before his 18th birthday in August.
Vowles acknowledged the desire for change but emphasized that there are more pressing issues to be addressed within the team. He highlighted the need to improve the car’s performance, as Albon, despite delivering exceptional races, has failed to score points. Vowles stated that his main concern is enhancing the capabilities of the car rather than making decisions on drivers for the upcoming years.
Regarding Antonelli, Vowles reminded everyone that only 20 months have passed since the Italian driver was in a Formula 4 car. Making the transition to an F1 car in such a short period is a significant leap. Vowles expressed his uncertainty about Antonelli’s progress, as he does not have direct communication with Mercedes or information about the tests. Furthermore, he clarified that comparing Antonelli’s performance to Sargeant’s in this situation is not valid, given the differences in the cars used.
As a Mercedes customer, Williams does not have enough data to evaluate Antonelli’s skills, and he will not replace Sargeant in Imola. The lack of a proper reference point, as well as the use of older cars, makes it challenging to make accurate comparisons.
Williams’ boss also mentioned that his most recent conversation with Antonelli took place during the last race of the 2023 season in Abu Dhabi. However, he was firm in his belief that Antonelli will not replace Sargeant anytime soon: “There was a rumor circulating that he would be in the car from Imola – that is not true. From the start, I have always emphasized that it is a merit-based system. Logan must earn his place. Currently, he has some challenging goals that require him to get much closer to Alex. But there are no plans to replace him at the moment,” Vowles insisted.
Sargeant did not participate in a race this season due to Albon’s accident during practice in Australia. Since Williams did not have a spare car, Sargeant’s car was given to Albon for the race. In the subsequent event in Japan, Sargeant received the repaired car from Albon instead of his undamaged Williams.
Throughout the first four races of this season, Sargeant consistently was outperformed by Albon during qualifying, and his best finishing position was 14th. He only scored one point in his rookie season, which was last year in Austin, after competing in 26 races.
Sargeant, who took a day off earlier this week to go boating with his family and friends, expressed feeling comfortable racing at home and not succumbing to outside speculation: “Every Formula 1 race carries a significant amount of pressure. If anything, it just feels like a more relaxed weekend, you know, being at home, being able to eat whatever I want when I’m home, having my friends and parents around. It just feels a little different, but in a positive way,” explained the American. (Reporting by Jenna Fryer; Additional quotes F1TV)
© 2024
Portugal wins Euro 2020 with overwhelming victory over France
Portugal impressively won Euro 2020 by defeating France 4-0 in the final held at Wembley Stadium. The Portuguese dominated the match from the start and displayed an engaging style of football, leaving the French with no chance of a comeback.
The standout of the match was forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored two goals and provided an assist. With this brilliant performance, Ronaldo solidifies himself as one of the greatest players in the history of football.
In addition to Ronaldo, other Portuguese players also stood out, such as Bruno Fernandes, who scored a goal and was crucial in creating plays. Goalkeeper Rui Patrício also had an impeccable performance, making important saves and keeping a clean sheet against the French.
With this victory, Portugal becomes the European champion for the second time, repeating the feat of 2016. The Portuguese team showed consistent football throughout the tournament and deserves all the recognition for the title won.
France’s defeat was a big surprise, as the team was considered one of the favorites for the title. The French were unable to impose their game and were dominated by the Portuguese throughout the match.
The Portuguese fans who attended the stadium in large numbers celebrated their team’s victory. The streets of Portugal were filled with party and joy, showing the people’s pride in the performance of their players.
Euro 2024 was marked by great games and much emotion. Portugal establishes itself as the best team on the continent, showing that it has a strong and competitive team.
Now, the focus turns to the World Cup, which will be held next year. Portugal enters as one of the favorites for the title and hopes to repeat the success achieved in the European Championship.
Portugal wins the Euro with a crushing victory over France. The Portuguese dominated the game from the start and showed an engaging style of football, leaving the French with no chance of a comeback. The highlight of the match was forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored two goals and provided an assist. With this brilliant performance, Ronaldo solidifies himself as one of the greatest players in football history. In addition to Ronaldo, other Portuguese players also stood out, such as Bruno Fernandes, who scored a goal and was crucial in creating plays. Goalkeeper Rui Patrício also had an impeccable performance, making important saves and keeping the French scoreless. With this victory, Portugal becomes a two-time Euro champion, repeating their feat from 2016. The Portuguese team showed consistent football throughout the tournament and deserves all the recognition for the title they achieved. France’s defeat was a major surprise, as the team was considered one of the favorites for the title. The French were unable to impose their game and were dominated by the Portuguese throughout the match. The Portuguese fans who attended the stadium in large numbers celebrated their team’s victory. The streets of Portugal were filled with festivities and joy, showing the pride of the people in the performance of their players. Euro 2024 was marked by great games and a lot of emotion. Portugal establishes itself as the best team on the continent, demonstrating that they have a strong and competitive squad. Now, all eyes turn to the World Cup, which will be held next year. Portugal enters as one of the favorites for the title and hopes to replicate the success achieved in the Euro.
