Ford’s step back into the world of sportscars has seen a career reprieve for former Williams Formula 1 driver Logan Sargeant.
The American was fired by the Grove-based squad after the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix, in which he crashed heavily in free practice, the final of a string of high-profile and costly shunts.
Sargeant had spent that year and 2023 with Williams, in which time he became the first American driver in 30 years to score a World Championship point, fittingly at the United States GP in Austin.
In the time since, Sargeant has tested with Meyer Shank Racing in IndyCar, and IDEC Sport, which subsequently handed him a drive in this year’s European Le Mans Series.
But, citing a “hectic, intense, emotionally challenging, physically demanding” period in F1, the 25-year-old withdrew from the role before the season had begun.
Now it appears that Sargeant is now back in the right frame of mind, and returns with the American giants‘ new sportscar programme in the World Endurance Championship.
The programme, which commences in 2027, will see Sargeant be handed the reigns of its Hypercar, which will use an Oreca chassis.
He will be joined by sportscar veteran Mike Rockenfeller and Sebastian Priaulx, son of World Touring Car legend Andy.
“Logan brings a level of technical sophistication and high-downforce experience that is vital for a programme of this scale,” said Dan Sayers, Manager of the Ford Racing Hypercar Programme.
“Having an American back in a Ford at Le Mans feels right. It’s a nod to giants like Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt, who showed the world in 1967 what happens when American grit meets global ambition.”
The news of Sargeant’s move will surely be welcomed by his former Team Principal James Vowles, who said he “absolutely has the capability to be a champion in many other series”.
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