Logan Sargeant and Eddie Cheever in Formula 1 – A Career Comparison

Cheever and Sargeant represent the closest American paths to achieving the status of an F1 driver. They both maintained their American identity despite embarking on European racing journeys, making them stand out as notable American representatives in Formula 1, which has historically seen relatively few American drivers.

European Racing Routes: Eddie Cheever and Logan Sargeant pursued their dreams of Formula 1 through the European racing ladder. They departed from the United States to compete in various European junior single-seater categories, gradually ascending the ranks to reach Formula 1. Before reaching Formula 1, Cheever and Sargeant participated in European racing championships. Cheever notably raced in Formula 3 and Formula 2 before making his way to Formula 1, while Sargeant followed a similar trajectory, competing in Formula 3, Formula 2, and eventually Formula 1.

Karting Origins: Both drivers initiated their motorsport careers in karting, a common starting point for many Formula 1 drivers. Cheever won the Italian and European karting champion, while Sargeant became a World Karting Champion, marking the first American to claim this title since 1978. Success at the highest levels of karting is often indicative of success in Formula 1.

Noteworthy Records: Cheever holds the record for the most starts by an American driver with 132 starts. Sargeant is set to break a record for forty years, becoming the first driver since Eddie Cheever in 1984 to participate in two F1 races on American soil. Sargeant will drive the Williams FW45 at this weekend's US Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, marking his second US-based Grand Prix appearance after the Miami Grand Prix in May 2023. Furthermore, later in the season, Sargeant will break another four-decade-old record by participating in three US-based Formula 1 races (Miami, COTA, Las Vegas), a record previously held by Eddie Cheever during the 1982 season (Long Beach, Detroit, Las Vegas Caesars).

Sargeant will also break a nearly decade long break of an American driver at COTA, the last time being Alexander Rossi, with Manor Marussia finishing an F1 career-best twelfth in the 2015 US GP at COTA. Sargeant finished eleventh at the 2023 British Grand Prix, eclipsing the best finish by an American driver since 2015.

Cheever and Sargeant both wear the Stars and Stripes on their racing helmets