Alex Albon was fully aware of the importance of finishing ninth during the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix on Sunday, as it marked Williams’ first points of the season. Before the race, Williams was one of two teams that had not yet scored, along with Sauber. The team faced numerous challenges, including a problematic pre-season, issues with the spare chassis, and an overweight car. However, Monaco proved to be a turning point for Albon and the team. He qualified in ninth on Saturday and managed to secure two crucial points on Sunday.
Albon expressed his satisfaction with the result, stating: “I’ll take that. P9 is a positive result for the team and is of great importance to us. We never like to leave a race without points. This result has boosted the team’s morale and now that we have scored, we can use it as a foundation for the rest of the season. We have made some improvements to the car and it is encouraging to see that these upgrades are working and allowing us to keep up with our direct competitors.”
During the race, Albon found himself behind Yuki Tsunoda for a significant part of the time. The slow pace set by most of the pack after the red flag made it difficult for Albon to stay focused. He joked that the race was so slow that he could have ridden his Vespa around the track. The lack of speed made it challenging for him to push himself and stay engaged. Albon also noted that Tsunoda’s sudden acceleration towards the end of the race highlighted the fact that the slow pace was unnecessary.
It is evident that Albon, like many others, found the Monaco GP disappointing. However, the points scored by Williams serve as a much-needed consolation for the team, helping to ease the disappointment of the race.
