Team Torquing Points: Montreal

For episode nine of Team Torque, our Williams Racing drivers Logan Sargeant and Alex Albon sat down to chat about all things Montreal and answer some fan questions.

If you haven’t already, get up to date with the latest edition below to listen to our driver duo talk about their favourite races on the F1 circuit, mentors growing up, and food!

We have highlighted some of our best moments from the latest instalment of the hit series.

For Alex and Logan, when it comes to discussing the best destinations on the Formula 1 calendar, Montreal is always a top contender.

Logan: “What do you think of the ‘Big M’?”

Alex: “I reckon it’s top three of the year.”

Logan: “Races?”

Alex: “Races, hotel, mixed with city and track, as a combination, top three.”

Logan: “The other day, I was talking to the driver from the airport on the way to the hotel, and I was ranking my top five in terms of atmosphere, weekends, fans…everything.

“I always think, Montreal, Melbourne, Austin, Silverstone…and Monaco.”

The first of the fan questions raised an all-important topic for this neck of the woods as Reece from the US asked: Since you’re in Canada, is poutine a yes or a no?

Alex: “Yes. And it is a yes.”

Logan: “It’s a yes? I haven’t tried it. Give me like a…”

Alex: “Out of 10? I’d give poutine around a 7.5. The problem is, we’re athletes, so you are self-destructing your body eating poutine.

Logan: “What does it taste like?”

Alex: “In the UK they love this thing called gravy and chips, and it’s the most UK dish in the world. Imagine that, with cheese on top and meat, that is poutine.”

Our duo have had plenty of special edition helmets to celebrate race location or for more personal reasons. Isabel from Cyprus asked which was their favourite lid from over the years.

Logan: “I know my favourite one of yours.”

Alex: “Oh really? My favourite is my Silverstone 2022 helmet. I did this lilac purple. The purple itself looked unbelievable. Purple looks great on a helmet.

“It was purple and white for most of it, so it was really clean, and then it had my pets on a ring on the top like Disney kinda style. That was my favourite helmet.

“What would you say is your favourite of mine?”

Logan: “Of yours? The panda one. My favourite of mine is my Miami helmet that I had last year…I think that was one of the coolest ones of mine that I turned out.”

When asked about any mentors growing up, our drivers pointed to their fathers, and Alex raised a particularly insightful point about the absence of coaching in motorsport.

Alex: “I didn’t have much coaching. I find it a really weird sport, motor racing. It’s not like golf or football where they’re constantly being coached all the time. I feel like racing is very unique.”

Logan: “You work with your teams a lot.”

Alex: “Yeah. It’s weird to me how there’s not much coaching involved. I think some F1 teams have a driver-designated person in terms of driving lines and whatnot.

“But it's such a feel-thing, I think that’s the main reason why it's not a thing and confidence-focused, but weird, isn’t it?”

Logan: “Yeah, I agree.”