Albon hails Williams’ strategy execution to land fourth in Australian GP

Alex Albon praised his Williams group for its technique execution within the mixed-conditions 2025 Formulation 1 season opener in Australia, as he completed fourth after a well-timed change to intermediates.

Though Albon had been gazumped initially by Charles Leclerc, the Anglo-Thai racer held off Lewis Hamilton’s makes an attempt to cross within the early phases and spent a lot of the race clinging onto seventh place.

Williams’ determination to pit Albon for intermediate tyres got here simply as an intensifying burst of rain had struck the circuit within the closing sector, which introduced him forward of the likes of Leclerc and Yuki Tsunoda as his fast rivals took of venture by staying out on slicks.

Though Albon was unable to include Andrea Kimi Antonelli within the closing act of the race because the rookie Italian had put him below scrutiny, Antonelli copped a five-second penalty for an unsafe launch – which reversed the order at the flag.

Albon revealed that Williams had spoken earlier than the race about capitalising on chaos within the early rounds of the season, and that the group’s decisiveness with technique had finally paid off.

“I feel as a group we actually executed all the pieces we did right this moment,” Albon enthused after scoring Williams’ finest end in a full-distance grand prix since Lance Stroll took a podium in Baku in 2017.

“First race it is not simple to be dialled in, by way of technique and strategy to the weekend and we executed all the pieces so nicely right this moment to get that P4.

“It is only a incredible begin and it simply reveals we made an enormous step from final 12 months. These outcomes, P4s, they don’t seem to be going to return round very many occasions this 12 months.

“We have talked quite a bit about capitalising early internally, in attempting to ensure that we took benefit of rookie drivers and issues like that to get these factors shortly.”

Albon admitted that he was uncertain Williams would have the ability to compete within the situations, citing the wind and the proneness of the intermediate tyres to expertise thermal degradation.

He prompt the gusty climate set the automobile again in efficiency, however that it nonetheless confirmed nice enchancment from 2024.

“I again myself in these situations, I do know my limits and I do know to not overpush it,” Albon defined.

“However, on the similar time, beginning P6, I’d have been very joyful to complete a P7 when one of many Ferraris obtained previous.

“However to get into the weekend right this moment and get P4 – I would not prefer to have completed that race once more! I am glad that it is completed.

“Gusty climate and inter tyres that begin overheating typically usually are not a superb mixture for us.

“All being trustworthy, I feel relative to the RB and the Alpine, we weren’t as aggressive as we needed to be.

“However we had been far more aggressive than we had been final 12 months in these situations. It was good to know that the tempo was nonetheless there and I used to be simply risking a bit of bit extra once I knew the pit window was gonna open, and issues like that.

“After I pushed I might catch Yuki no downside, and I used to be simply form of ready for him to field or not field and clearly we got here in first and did the appropriate name.”

Further reporting by Emily Selleck