The Williams team viewed Spa as a circuit that would benefit the aerodynamic features of the FW45 and provide Albon with an opportunity to replicate his previous successful performances this year at Sakhir, Montreal, and Silverstone.
With a powerful start, he quickly advanced from 15th to 10th position. He even reached as high as seventh place before making an early pit stop.
Nevertheless, due to his dedication to preserving his tires and encountering difficulties in sustaining speed during the intricate middle part of the track, he descended in the rankings and ultimately concluded the race in 14th place.
“It was a challenging race throughout, as we were using minimal downforce, which added excitement in certain aspects,” he expressed. “However, in other instances, particularly when navigating sector two, it became less enjoyable.”
“I cannot reword”
“I had another problem, which was competing with the cars around me. In order to stay ahead, I had to push harder in sector two. Whenever I eased off in one corner or tried to take care of the tires in specific areas like Turn 10, 11, and 12, I would quickly come under attack and the car behind me would overtake me almost instantly.”
“I had to exert excessive force on the tire to maintain my lead. This creates a harmful cycle, as it leads to further deterioration. Despite attempting to preserve the tire, I am restricted and unable to do so freely.”
“I didn’t have the same experience as in Canada or Austria or Silverstone, where I felt confident in handling the tire in a few corners. In this case, it felt like they were constantly close behind me. Therefore, I had to continue pushing.”
Alex Albon, Williams Racing
Photo by: Williams
Albon observed that the rain during the middle of the race was actually beneficial for him. Some drivers chose to continue using their dry tires, while others opted to make a pit stop for new soft tires.
“I found it intriguing when the rain began as it caused my tires to cool down,” he expressed. “Surprisingly, this resulted in better traction compared to when the track was dry. Consequently, I managed to catch up with my competitors and experienced a sudden increase in speed. This clearly demonstrates the extent of overheating we were encountering.”
Albon emphasized the need for the team to enhance the car’s tire performance at Monza, the upcoming circuit where points are anticipated to be available.
“It’s quite disappointing, as we had higher expectations for this weekend,” he expressed. “We must analyze and comprehend the reasons behind our significant difficulties during this time.”
“In the end, the level of downforce we currently have will be comparable to Monza, which will present our next significant opportunity to earn points.”
“We must ensure that we take lessons from this weekend so that when we return to tracks that are favorable to us, we can avoid a repeat of this situation.”
Albon admitted that the vehicle demonstrated impressive speed on straight stretches at Spa, however, this did not compensate for the problems with the tires.
“I cannot reword”
Leave a Reply