Alexander Albon was perhaps the surprise of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The British-Thai driver unexpectedly broke into the top five, even engaging in battles with top teams McLaren and Ferrari. The Williams driver relished the experience, but was secretly disappointed that he did not cross the finish line in fourth place. ‘It feels strange to finish fifth and be disappointed,’ said an otherwise satisfied Albon.
Alexander Albon unexpectedly found himself in second place in the race due to the early pit stops of the top teams. The timing of the virtual safety car, triggered by Esteban Ocon‘s retirement, proved fortuitous for the Williams driver, who was able to make a shortened pit stop. Albon subsequently lost his second place, but continued to drive in the top five. There was a moment of suspense as to whether he could secure his fifth place, when the British-Thai driver ended up off the track in a battle with Charles Leclerc. However, Albon recovered and ultimately finished fifth.
“The Williams driver was able to engage in a ‘busy’ race, battling both the McLarens and the Ferraris. “But it’s not as if luck played a part,” Alexander Albon tells F1TV afterwards. “We had an incredibly good first stint, and that opened up the whole race for us. Our tyre degradation was good, while others struggled more with it. Only the top teams and I were able to drive far on the C5.”
Battle with Leclerc
The only moment that really threw a spanner in the works for the British Thai was the failed overtaking attempt on Charles Leclerc in the final stages. “We should have had fourth place,” Albon laments. “It wasn’t Charles’ fault, but it was a bit of a hard fight. It feels strange to finish fifth and be disappointed.”
The Williams driver admits after the race that he should have approached the battle with the Monegasque differently. “I should have been a bit more patient. But I wanted to go after Oscar Piastri, who was ahead. That’s why I had to make the overtaking move at that moment. Maybe if I had waited a few laps, I could have passed Charles more easily.” Despite ultimately losing the battle to the Ferrari driver, Albon still enjoyed the fight with the top teams.
