Alex Albon has established a big points lead over Williams teammate Carlos Sainz. The former Red Bull driver has grown in stature following the arrival of an A-list teammate.
Some think Albon is owed an apology after pre-season predictions that Sainz would rather show him up. His previous Williams teammates have all been rookies or poorly rated drivers – Nicholas Latifi, Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto.
But Albon has a strong grip on eighth in the championship, having reached 40 points with an excellent P5 at Imola. With Red Bull’s second drivers struggling to score significant points, that’s the best realistic position on offer to midfield competitors this season.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Oscar Piastri |
146 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
133 |
| 3 |
Max Verstappen |
124 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
99 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc |
61 |
| 6 |
Lewis Hamilton |
53 |
| 7 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
48 |
| 8 |
Alexander Albon |
40 |
| 9 |
Esteban Ocon |
14 |
| 10 |
Lance Stroll |
14 |
| 11 |
Carlos Sainz Jr |
11 |
| 12 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
10 |
Albon, who also finished fifth in Australia and Miami, has outscored Sainz by 29. That’s despite the fact that he’s trailing the qualifying head-to-head 4-3.
The Thai driver has been faster on a Sunday (4-1 when both drivers finish) and maximised the car on its best days. For all Sainz’s improvement, it will be difficult to eliminate the gap.
Alex Albon staggered by Carlos Sainz’s bravery at the Monaco Grand Prix
Before the Monaco Grand Prix, Sainz and Albon recorded the latest episode of their ‘Team Torque’ podcast, alongside F1 legend David Coulthard. They discussed their secrets for F1’s most iconic circuit.
Sainz revealed that, when pushing flat-out, he lets his car brush the barriers on the exit of Tabac, a blind left-hander where many drivers have crashed over the years. This left Albon in disbelief.
The former Ferrari driver explained that he wants to open up the swimming pool chicane as much as possible by letting the car drift towards the barriers on the right.
It’s noteworthy that the two drivers are still open with one another about their lap-time tricks. That may change as the rivalry develops.
“I touch the inside at the entry to Swimming Pool 2,” Sainz said. “I feel a touch and I say, ‘Okay, now this is close enough’, and then, I sometimes touch the exit of Tabac.
“The quick one?” Albon replied in disbelief. “On the exit of 12?
“Not like leaning it, opening it up. You keep looking to the left on the exit of turn 13. I sometimes just let myself go to see how much I can open it up. You’re not aware of how much you’re leaving to the right, and because the chicane now is flat-out, you need to feel how far you can go there.”
James Vowles pinpoints the tip Alex Albon needs to take from Carlos Sainz
James Vowles will be absolutely thrilled with his new partnership. While there have been moments of tension – including a misunderstanding over team orders in Miami – the co-operation between the two drivers has largely been excellent.
Williams have already scored 51 points, more than double the tally of Haas directly behind (20). They’re on course for their best season since 2017, the last time they finished fifth.
Vowles says the energy is ‘palpable’ at Williams, who are reaping the rewards after pulling off perhaps the biggest coup of the 2024 driver market. Four-time race-winner Sainz has pushed everyone in the team to another level.
While Albon has been the big scorer, there are still areas where he can learn. For instance, Vowles says Sainz is better on corner entry, which might explain why he’s started ahead at the last four Grands Prix.
