According to Alexander Albon, the Formula 1 winter break is far too short. The Williams driver claims to have only seven real days off in December before the preseason begins in January. With a whole new set of regulations coming into effect in 2026, the drivers are starting the season under additional pressure. “It’s going to be tough,” Albon anticipates.
Alexander Albon has had a successful year with Williams, finishing with 73 points and an eighth place in the drivers’ championship. The British Thai was closely followed by teammate Carlos Sainz, who scored 64 World Championship points in his debut year for the British racing team. This also earned Williams a fifth place in the constructors’ championship, behind the top four teams.
‘Only seven days off’
However, the season was long, with 24 races, and according to Albon, Formula 1 does not get enough time during the winter break to pause and prepare for the 2026 season. “It’s honestly brutal,” the Williams driver himself says in Abu Dhabi about the length of the winter break. “I think I end up having seven days off. We finish next week, we do something later next week, we have Christmas parties and such, and then we go to the factory.”
“Then I’ll be away for seven days, I’ll come back, celebrate Christmas with my family, and on December 27, I’ll start my training camp,” Albon continues to outline his schedule. “On January 5 and 6, we’ll be back in the factory. So yes, there’s not much time to rest.” In addition, Formula 1 is on the verge of implementing significant regulatory changes. According to Albon, this also brings additional pressure for all drivers.
“I think energy management will be very important next year,” he further explains. “I think the teams will really have to take this into account. We have to be very principled in how we approach the year. It’s going to be busy with testing and busy with such a short turnaround time. So yes, it’s going to be tough,” Albon concludes.
