Yuki Tsunoda’s “magical lap” that ended within the Visa Money App Racing Bulls driver qualifying fifth for the Australian Grand Prix was one of many first large surprises of the 2025 System 1 season.
The motive force who will begin alongside him delivered one other.
Alexander Albon put his Williams FW47 on the third row after a powerful qualifying efficiency, and he’ll begin the Australian Grand Prix in sixth. Including to the “good vibes” at Williams? Albon’s new teammate, Carlos Sainz Jr., additionally superior into Q3 on Saturday in Melbourne and can begin tenth.
“We have been aiming for prime ten, so P6 is improbable and I’m very joyful,” started Albon within the crew’s post-qualifying report. “Now we have an ideal automobile, straightforward to drive, predictable; it looks like a way more driveable automobile this yr. It’s actually tight on the market and it’s going to be a dogfight within the midfield this yr, however this can be a good spot for us to start out.
“It additionally looks like Qualifying will not be even the perfect little bit of the automobile; the place we’ve made the largest enchancment is the race tempo,” added Albon. “We’ve carried out some large issues again at Grove. Now we have paid consideration to this yr, we’re beginning on the correct weight and we’re in a a lot more healthy place than we have been this time final yr.
“After I take a look at the place we have been a yr in the past to this point, we’re in a totally totally different place. I’m very happy with the crew right now and there are good vibes.”
Sainz described his qualifying run, his first with Williams, as an enormous “scrappy” however shared Albon’s upbeat evaluation.
“To begin with, I’m very joyful for your complete crew, for Alex and for myself. It’s my first Qualifying with Williams and we now have achieved our principal goal of stepping into Q3 with each automobiles,” started Sainz. “The onerous work that everybody has carried out in the course of the winter has paid off with an ideal step ahead and I’m happy with the crew.
“On my aspect, I had a little bit of a scrappy Qualifying to be sincere. Nevertheless, I’m not involved. There are lots of issues that I nonetheless want to know from this automobile and I’m certain higher laps will come quickly!”
Williams Workforce Principal James Vowles hailed what he known as a “improbable” day for your complete crew.
“What a improbable day for the crew. I’m actually happy for Alex, he put in a very nice lap on the market and delivered when it mattered. I’m disenchanted for Carlos – we all know there’s extra in it however finally, we weren’t clear on execution,” mentioned Vowles. “The good information is it’s a superb place to start out, the climate coming in tomorrow will present loads of alternative and the crew has renewed vitality.”
As for the climate — forecasts are calling for storms and rain on Sunday — each Albon and Sainz consider the moist situations might deliver much more alternatives for the crew within the Australian Grand Prix.
“We’re anticipating rain tomorrow and no person has carried out a lap on the Intermediate or Moist tire so let’s see what occurs,” mentioned Albon.
“Tomorrow, below rain, I may also need to adapt shortly however I’m excited in regards to the race,” mentioned Sainz. “We are going to attempt to maximize each alternative.
“That is solely the start!”
