Former Formula 1 Driver Logan Sargeant To Test For IndyCar Seat

Saajan Jogia | Sep 23, 2024

May 2, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Williams driver Logan Sargeant (2) addresses the media in advance of the Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-Imagn Images / John David Mercer-Imagn Images

Former Williams Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant is set to make his IndyCar debut by testing with Meyer Shank Racing. This marks his first experience in the NTT IndyCar Series, with the team using their final evaluation day to run Sargeant at The Thermal Club in California, a private track that will host a full championship event next season.

In late August, Williams officially parted ways with Logan Sargeant after weeks of speculation, largely fueled by his costly crash during free practice at Zandvoort, which left his car too damaged to participate in qualifying. The incident, coupled with a series of similar errors and his failure to score any points throughout the season, is believed to have been the final factor in the 23-year-old's exit from the team.

The American driver was replaced by F2 driver Franco Colapinto, who will compete in the remaining Grands Prix of 2024. The seat will then be filled by Carlos Sainz in 2025, who is under contract with Ferrari until the end of the current season.

Sargeant's departure from Williams not only signaled the end of his time with the Grove-based team but also likely closed the door on his Formula 1 career, as no other teams showed interest in signing him. Foreseeing this shift, his manager had already reached out to various IndyCar teams in recent months, exploring potential opportunities for the driver in the American series.

With few teams able to hire drivers this late in the season, Sargeant attended the Nashville Speedway season finale on September 14-15 to meet with various teams. His discussions with Meyer Shank Racing were particularly fruitful, as the team was impressed by his demeanor and extended an offer for a test, which Sargeant quickly accepted.

According to Racer.com, Sargeant is set to test Meyer Shank Racing's Honda-powered Dallara DW12 on November 19 at the 17-turn, 3.067-mile road course near Palm Springs. This single-day test will not only be Sargeant's first experience with the team but also mark Meyer Shank Racing's debut road course test under its new technical partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing, who will supply chassis setups, dampers, and engineering support.

The collaboration between the two teams will begin on an oval track in October, featuring a test with the 2021 Indianapolis 500 champion, Helio Castroneves. This will then transition to Thermal Club, where both teams will evaluate Sargeant’s performance in detail. However, it should be noted that there are currently no openings across both teams' combined five entries for the 2025 season. Despite that, the test provides Sargeant an opportunity to demonstrate his talents to teams interested in assessing his potential in IndyCar.