Alexander Albon remains driven by the challenge of transforming Williams into a competitive team. Despite the British racing stable appearing to take a step back after the 2023 results, Albon assures that this is all part of long-term improvements. The team, which once shone at the forefront of Formula 1, still has a long way to go.
In 2023, Williams finished seventh in the constructors’ championship – their best result in six years. This year, the Grove-based team ended up in ninth place. Regular driver Alexander Albon was responsible for the majority of the points. The former Red Bull driver signed a new multi-year contract with Williams in May. Along with his future teammate Carlos Sainz, he still wants to ‘pull out all the stops’ to be able to compete for victories in the future.
“I firmly believe in this project,” he said earlier this year in an interview with Crash.net. “I also feel an obligation to commit myself to this team for as long as possible. After all, it’s my job to make this all work. We have a long way to go.” Since Albon started racing for Williams in 2022, he consistently fights for spots in the top ten. The car was never competitive enough for podium finishes, let alone race victories. However, this doesn’t seem to bother Albon.
Striving for a Consistent Performance Car
“If I’m only focused on what the team can do better for me, that’s the wrong mentality,” explained the British-Thai driver. “I need to understand my role in this journey. I will leave no stone unturned to get the most out of the car and ensure that we become increasingly competitive.” Alexander Albon further indicated that Williams’ lack of performance in 2024 was no surprise. The team was focused on designing a car that could perform well on all circuits.
“There’s no point in building a car that’s only suitable for circuits where power is important,” he added. “With that, you can score points in two or three races, but you ultimately end up in P8 or P9 in the constructors’ championship. We know that we need to create consistency – we want a car that can adapt to different circuits.” Albon finally noted that every team now has formidable drivers, which only makes the competition more exciting. “In terms of drivers, all teams are very similar,” he concluded. “So that bodes well for the coming years.”
