"I am a bit more of a team leader" - Alex Albon feels 'in a better position' at Williams

Alex Albon says he is settling into a different position at Williams compared to his time with Red Bull. The Anglo-Thai driver felt that he was more of a team leader with the Grove-based outfit compared to Milton Keynes. Speaking on the latest episode of the F1 Nation podcast, Albon said:

“It’s a different position than I was in with Red Bull, and I feel, more than anything, like I am a bit more of a team leader. I feel like I have to use my experience in the best way possible and develop the car with Nicky [Latifi].”

Albon spent the 2021 season helping Red Bull and Max Verstappen with their title battle, honing setups and finding solutions in the simulator at Milton Keynes.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has previously said that Albon’s input was oftentimes crucial in helping Verstappen gain the upper hand over rival Lewis Hamilton in their incredibly close battles.

Albon says the experience with Red Bull in 2021 came in handy with Williams in 2022. He added, saying:

“I guess I feel like I’ve had a year to mature. I don’t think I could have done that in 2020 or 2019. I feel like I’m in a better position now. So, I am enjoying it. It’s a new challenge for me.”

Williams has had a rocky start to the year so far and has struggled to extract a competitive pace. Albon’s P10 finish in Australia is the sole point that the team has scored this season.

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Alex Albon has already “exceeded” all expectations: Williams F1 boss

Williams F1 team principal Jost Capito has praised Alex Albon’s efforts within the team and claimed that the Red Bull-backed driver has already exceeded all expectations. Speaking to Motorsport-Total early last week, Capito said:

“He gives very good information, is very good at evaluating the car. He is calm, has a good feeling for the car and works well with the engineers and the team. I think he has just the right balance of being a nice guy on the one hand, but then also finding the necessary aggressiveness in the car and pushing. He is a fighter. I expected him to fit in really well with the team, but he actually exceeded my expectations there.”

Alex Albon returned to F1 with the Grove-based outfit this season after a year on the sidelines. Despite racing for Williams, he still retains ties to Red Bull and is also backed at Williams by the Austrian team.