Formula 1: The young driver who could fuel a U.S. surge

Amid a rise in popularity of Formula 1 in the United States, this American-born driver could cause a boom in the nation’s growing fanbase.

Just one season away from the United States playing host to three Formula 1 races in a single year, it’s impressive to see how far the sport has come stateside.

While Formula 1 is wildly popular across the world, the sport failed to break through in America for years, consistently being overshadowed by more established motorsports such as NASCAR and IndyCar. In fact, the lack of popularity among Americans led to the sport flirting with the possibility of leaving the United States in 2016.

It was a gamble that year when Liberty Media, a mass media company that owns the Atlanta Braves, acquired Formula 1 in a deal worth $8 billion.

Since the acquisition, Formula 1 has become a valuable asset for the company, as viewership has grown amid a licensing deal with ESPN and drivers are becoming more mainstream in American media.

The popularity of Netflix’s hit series Formula 1: Drive to Survive has drawn the attention of many new fans in the United States, while drivers such as Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo have made appearances on American talk shows.

And just this month, Hamilton was the cover star of Vanity Fair, while Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz Jr. and Charles Leclerc were featured on the cover of GQ Magazine.

With that being said, the sport’s potential in the United States is growing. The inaugural Miami Grand Prix drew 2.58 million viewers on U.S. television, making it the most watched live Formula 1 race in America.

That record could be broken in the near future, as the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Texas is scheduled for October and the Miami circuit is back on the calendar for 2023, along with a brand-new race in Las Vegas.

And while the sport continues to grow in the United States, Americans may soon have their own driver to cheer on.

Logan Sargeant, the Florida-born driver who is currently third in the Formula 2 driver standings, has been linked to a potential move to Williams to replace Nicholas Latifi.

Sargeant is also slated to make his Formula 1 debut at the United States Grand Prix in October, racing with Williams in the FP1 session.

It would be a significant development for the ever-growing popularity of Formula 1 in the United States. Should Sargeant replace the struggling Latifi, he would become the first American since Alexander Rossi in 2015 to compete in the sport.

Sargeant’s performance this season has impressed Williams boss Jost Capito, who is now on the hunt for the next Williams driver. Capito said that it would be an “obvious” decision to give Sargeant a shot in a Friday session.

“I think he will be in a Formula 1 car in the future, I’m absolutely convinced,” Capito said about the 21-year-old.

Sargeant hasn’t been the lone American driver linked to a spot on a Formula 1 roster. IndyCar driver Colton Herta was also linked to a potential move to McLaren, but the California native is likely to lose out to Australian reserve driver Oscar Piastri.

While it remains to be seen if Sargeant does land the Williams seat for 2023, it does appear as though the sport is well on its way to breaking through in the United States. And while there is some controversy about the idea of a country hosting three races in a single season, it is undeniably one of the best ways to grow the fanbase in the states.