Because the rain misted a chronically dry Sakhir throughout one in every of ’s preseason testing periods, loud whispers echoed by means of the paddock and onto social media concerning the tempo of 1 back-of-the-pack staff, however extra particularly, one driver: ex-Ferrari driver .
At of the 2025 season in Melbourne, proved that the anticipated hype was justified. However it was , not Sainz, who wowed with a fifth-place end.
“We had been working P7, P6 for the entire race,” Albon, who claimed he was under-driving because of the slippery situations, stated post-race.
“We had good tempo, even on the restarts the automobile felt actually robust. It’s thrilling, it will likely be an thrilling 12 months, so tight on the market.”
Sainz, the Spanish driver who swapped from Ferrari to after ’s arrival on the Scuderia, failed to finish a full lap in the course of the Australian Grand Prix. His royal blue-clad automobile spun in damp monitor situations, with Sainz blaming a “large torque surge.”
Sainz made a dangerous choice taking over Williams on its provide to signal to the staff, however he confirmed important tempo forward of the season in assessments and landed within the prime three on Friday’s first free follow session.
Nevertheless, it was Albon who first took the Williams danger. After leaving the game following an axe from Pink Bull, the Thai-British driver signed with Williams in 2022. Albon signed a multi-year contract extension final 12 months.
Williams has 9 Formulation 1 World Constructors’ Championship titles to its identify, and a sort of homegrown success to go together with it. However for newer followers, the staff has a monitor file of crumpled automobiles and last-place finishes. In 2024, Williams crashed in 20 out of 24 races.
Regardless of this, Albon has seen a future on the staff most have didn’t: “This can be a long-term mission that I actually imagine in and wish to play a key function wherein is why I’ve signed a multi-year contract.
“The journey will take time, however I’m assured we’re constructing the proper staff to maneuver ahead and obtain nice issues within the years to return,” Albon stated in Could whereas re-signing his contract.
Albon, who out-qualified Sainz on Saturday with a P6 to his teammate’s P10, was anticipated to must measure as much as the Spaniard who got here from a title-fighting staff.
If Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix proved something, the 2 are working in the direction of an identical purpose: returning Williams to glory.
