Horner praises 'Driver of the Day' Albon for strong recovery

©RedBull

Alex Albon likely boosted once again his chances of remaining with Red Bull in 2020 after an impressive recovery drive in Austin earned him a big accolade from team boss Christian Horner.

Albon head into the first corner determined to steer clear of any trouble, but found himself unwillingly sandwiched by Charles Leclerc on his left and Carlos Sainz on his right.

A heavy contact ensued between the Red Bull and the McLaren, knocking both cars off course but forcing Albon into the pits for a front wing change.

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The British-Thai racer put in a spirited effort thereafter however, skillfully racing up the order during his successive stints, dispatching his rivals to finally lock in a fully deserved fifth-place finish and 'Driver of the Day' award.

"He’s done a great job today, Alex," enthused Horner.

"He was unlucky at the first corner, he ended up on a pincer-move, his comeback on what turned out to be three-stop strategy for him today.

"I think he passed Carlos Sainz about three times. I think we counted something like 15, 16 overtakes today!

"It’s a strong recovery, I think you forget that he’s in his first year, even. We’ve been really encouraged with the development he’s been making – another positive day for him."

Albon labeled his first corner clash a racing incident, but while his front wing was replaced he still had floor damage to contend with on his RB15.

"We had a good start, obviously we were on the softer tyres, always helps," he explained.

"Coming into Turn 1, on the exit, I saw Charles on the inside, basically I tried to put myself as close to Charles as I could because I knew I was going to get better drive coming out of the corner.

"I was expecting Charles to go – the Bottas line – out-and-in, he didn’t. I think I got sandwiched.

"No one’s fault, really, one of those things, we took some front wing damage, some floor damage. I was like ‘here we go, it’s going to be a long day’."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.