Alexander Albon believes that Williams can now score points anywhere – and that Brazil might be the best chance of all
“When I think of the remaining races this year, Brazil stands out for me as the race with the most opportunities,” says Williams driver Alexander Albon ahead of the final two triple headers of the 2024 Formula One season.
As soon as the pinnacle of the sport returns from its “fall break,” the next three races will be in Austin, Mexico and Brazil. After a two-week break, the season continues in Las Vegas, Qatar and finally in Abu Dhabi for the season finale.
Speaking about the race in Brazil, Albon says: “If you want to score points with a mid-field team, you should try here.” And indeed, Interlagos has always been a track that was good for surprises in recent years.
Last season, for example, Aston Martin took its only podium finish in the last nine races there. The year before, Kevin Magnussen sensationally took pole position with the Haas, and Mercedes celebrated its only victory of the season later in the weekend.
However, the circuit in Sao Paulo has not been a happy hunting ground for Williams of late. Last year, Logan Sargeant finished eleventh, but the team’s last points finish there was in 2017, when Felipe Massa came seventh in his last Formula 1 home race.
Nevertheless, Albon is optimistic for this year – or perhaps precisely because of that. After all, Monaco and Singapore, for example, are “tracks where we used to not do well and where we did very well this year,” says the former Red Bull driver.
Brazil “quite similar to Monaco and Singapore”
In Monaco in May, Albon scored the first Williams points of the year by finishing ninth. Although the team failed to score points in Singapore, rookie Franco Colapinto just missed out on the top 10 by finishing eleventh, which gives Albon hope.
Because the track in Brazil is “quite similar to Monaco and Singapore,” he emphasizes, even though there are of course “no walls” there. But low speeds are the focus on all courses. Albon explains: “These are tracks that have always been painful for us.”
“And this year we were actually quite good on them,” he emphasizes. And in general, the Williams form curve is currently pointing upwards. “I think in many ways we feel that the car has gotten a lot faster,” he reveals.
“We haven’t always got the results we wanted in the last few races,” Albon admits, ‘but the energy [in the team] is good. It’s really nice and it creates a very positive atmosphere when the car is good.’
It is ‘very motivating’ for everyone in the team that they are currently in with a chance of scoring points every weekend. And in his opinion, this chance could be greatest in Brazil.
