Alex Albon thinks Williams are in the dark ahead of pre-season testing in Bahrain for the 2024 Formula 1 season as focusing on last season left them in a ‘tricky’ situation.
F1 flies to Sakhir for the only winter test at the end of February before racing resumes at the track a week later. Williams will head to the Middle East with the same line-up in Albon and Logan Sargeant which sealed the Grove team’s best constructors’ finish since 2017 last year.
Williams rose from last place in the 2022 teams’ championship to seventh, thanks heavily to Albon. The 27-year-old earned 27 of their 28 points, with Sargeant taking his only point after the FIA stewards disqualified Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc from the United States GP.
Alex Albon feels Williams are in the dark with their 2024 F1 car
Albon produced some tremendous drives to claim P7 finishes at the Canadian GP and Italian GP for Williams in 2023. He maximised the FW45’s strong straight-line speed to lead home a train of cars. Lando Norris found the McLaren star stuck behind him in Montreal and Monza.
But, following Williams unveiling their FW46 for the 2024 F1 season, Albon admits that their focus being on a strong 2023 meant the team could not fully concentrate on this year’s car. So, Williams will fly to Bahrain in the dark about the true speed of the team’s latest offering.
Alex Albon expects a ‘big difference’ between the FW45 and FW46
London-born Thai, Albon, also expects the FW46 will be very different to drive compared to the FW45. He has enjoyed the two-time Grand Prix podium finishers’ initial experience with it in Williams’ simulator. But the team will have questions until the car hits the circuit in Sakhir.
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Albon said, via quotes by Motor Sport Magazine: “I think this car is going to be such a big difference in driving style and general performance.
“It was tricky last year as we were so focused on the championship, so we couldn’t [focus] too much on 2024. We won’t really know [how it truly performs] until we hit the ground in Bahrain. But, generally, it’s been a good car to drive.”
The 2024 F1 season marks Albon’s third year with Williams and he will, no doubt, hope they enjoy continued progress. Williams were the worst-performing team in 2022 to rank last in the constructors’ championship with eight points, of which Albon earned four in the FW44.
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