Alex Albon believes he’s driving on the similar excessive stage he has for a lot of his Williams profession, however that the skin notion of him has modified by having Carlos Sainz as his teammate.
Sainz was signed from Ferrari forward of the 2025 season, becoming a member of Albon who has been a part of the Williams setup since 2022. With the group bettering on observe, Albon says the addition of a confirmed race winner has additionally led to his personal inventory rising exterior of the group, however that Williams knew what he was able to from the earlier three years.
“Sure, I do, I do suppose [the perception] has modified,” Albon informed F1’s Past the Grid podcast. “I believe that it was straightforward to dismiss me for my teammates. I believe that was a simple scapegoat to say, ‘Oh, he’s doing nicely, however we don’t actually know how one can quantify him as a driver.’
“And I believe when James [Vowles, team principal] spoke to me early on about Carlos becoming a member of, I used to be in two constructive mindsets. The primary one was he’s going to be an enormous asset to the group with all of his expertise and him being a fast driver. The second was I really feel like he’s a reputable reference that I can go into and I genuinely need to see how I stack up towards a driver like Carlos.
“I used to be assured in who I used to be, however I believe I possibly have shocked among the paddock. I don’t suppose essentially the those that know had been shocked. This sounds a bit boastful saying this, however internally at Williams, or those that I’ve pushed for prior to now, however I’m glad with how I’ve been performing this yr.”
Regardless of his status taking a lift externally, Albon says he isn’t interested by utilizing that as a catalyst for a possible transfer to a different group greater up the grid.
“I like the story of Williams. I believe we’re positively in the correct place and I’m not wanting round,” he stated. “I’m satisfied within the undertaking, as a result of I’ve been right here, and I believe James and the board are doing a implausible job. I do imply that, and simply wanting on the earlier outcomes there’s no motive why I would like to go searching. I’m very proud of the place I’m.”
Albon insists he has been going about his enterprise in the identical method as earlier seasons, however that the key step ahead Williams made with its automotive this yr has led to eye-catching outcomes that result in his performances being observed extra typically.
“I don’t suppose I’ve modified something, I simply suppose I’ve been given a platform to showcase what I can do, greater than something,” he stated. “So I believe the noise exterior of driving could be very targeted on driver outcomes, and it seems prefer it’s been a terrific yr – and it has been a terrific yr for myself, however the automotive has allowed me to get to that time.
“So once I take into consideration the outcomes we’ve got been capable of obtain on totally different tracks and scoring totally different factors, and good factors – P5s – I simply suppose it’s such a team-based sport. There’s nearly like a, ‘Wow, Alex is having a terrific season’ and I’d agree, however I’d say that it’s such a automotive and group factor. I really feel like I had nice races final yr that by no means acquired talked about, as a result of I used to be P18.
“I’m hungry this yr. I really feel like I’ve been capable of showcase what I can do. I really feel like I’ve all the time had an elbows-out, hungry mentality, and we’re within the midfield – we’re all the time combating. I really feel like I can go to each race understanding that there’s an opportunity to attain factors, there’s an excellent outcomes end out there to me.
“So when it comes to that sense, motivation is all the time robust. As a driver, it sounds actually boring to say and possibly it goes towards the overall pattern of the place the story goes, however I really feel like I’m driving simply in addition to I’ve completed and it’s been as a tremendous yr. However my course of could be very constant. I’m going to each race, I work on myself and I take a look at these little particulars, and that hasn’t actually modified.”
