Sargeant reveals bizarre number choice for F1 career

The 21-year-old American has selected to use the number 2 during his debut F1 season with Williams in 2023.

F1 drivers have been able to select their own permanent number to race with throughout the duration of their grand prix careers since the start of the 2014 season.  

Choosing to race with the number 2 is considered an unusual selection given the connotations that come with the position of second place in motorsport. 

Sargeant will be the first driver to use the number in F1 since Stoffel Vandoorne, who carried the number 2 when he raced for McLaren between 2017 and 2018. 

“I used to run it in Formula Renault, and I had a pretty good season that year,” he said. “Number three is my number, but that’s taken so I figured why not take a winning number from the past and run with it in F1?”

Sargeant will partner British-born Thai Alex Albon at Williams during his rookie campaign, having replaced Nicholas Latifi in the F1 2023 driver line-up. 

Sargeant will be the first American driver to race in F1 since Alexander Rossi contested five grand prix for the now-defunct Manor Marussia team towards the end of 2015.