Former Mercedes director explains why he called Alex Albon's drive in Canada a 'drive of champions'

Williams Team Principal James Vowles recently praised Alex Albon's performance in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP, where he finished seventh. The Thai had a brilliant race as he defended against several other drivers who had much faster cars than him. Vowles claimed that it was a 'drive of champions'.

Speaking about it on the Beyond the Grid podcast, he revealed how he called Alex Albon and praised him for the race. Vowles talked about how he has worked with several great drivers and is aware of how well Albon drove in Canada.

The former Mercedes director said:

"There is no ego, he is a funny chap. But I called him yesterday to explain to him that that was a drive of champions. I have worked with a good number of them, and it really was.

"He did not put a foot wrong at the point where he is under pressure from four incredibly fast charging cars behind on tires that was in much better state than his."

Furthermore, Vowles also appreciated how Albon positioned his car on certain corners differently than usual, which gave him an advantage over other F1 drivers.

He said:

"And actually, some of the work he was doing on positioning his car on exit of 10 and a few other corners was very clever, and he recognizes that. He is obviously not someone who is going to go and boast about it to the world. But for me that was a drive of champions that he did."

James Vowles further explained how Alex Albon is driving the Williams FW45 on the limit, which is what a team demands from a driver. He concluded:

"He is definitely bringing the car to the limit of its performance. That's what you are looking for from a driver. I think he is very underrated. I'm incredibly happy that he is here with our organization today and here for a long time."

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Alex Albon was delighted with his performance in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP

Alex Albon was quite satisfied with his drive in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP. After the race, he posted on Instagram and Twitter, thanking the team on the track and back at the factory.

“P7???? A MASSIVE thank you to the team & everyone back at the factory for all the hard work and time that was put into getting the upgrades ready for this weekend. That was fun,” he wrote on social media.

Alex Albon is currently 12th in the drivers' championship with only seven points in his pocket.