F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Albon 'really happy' after Williams FW45 shakedown run

Alex Albon offered a very positive early assessment of Williams' FW45 after his shakedown run onboard the new machine at Silverstone on Monday.

Albon and teammate Logan Sargeant both took part in the British outfit's F1 'filming day' which restricts mileage to 100 km on Pirelli control tyres.

Albon was the first to take to the track at the wheel of his new mount, the Anglo-Thai racer enjoying a trouble-free series of laps after which he spoke to Williams brand Ambassador and Sky F1 consultant Jenson Button.

©Williams

"It feels pretty good actually," he said. "You know how it is sometimes when you drive the car for the first time, it’s a little bit like ‘okay, we’ve got some work to do’.

"Today was a bit more, ‘you know what? This is a good baseline, we actually have a well-balanced car’. So the pace is the pace, but the feeling of the car is good."

Button highlighted how Albon was able to sail "flat out" through Abbey during his opening laps onboard his new car, noting that he had done the same through the fast sweep Copse Corner.

"I mean, I’m actually really happy. I feel like we’ve addressed some of the problems, it’s always a little bit of a ‘what if’, until you actually drive the real car," Albon said.

The Williams charger remained prudent however ahead of the start of pre-season testing in Bahrain on February 20.

"I don’t want to speak too soon as well, maybe we’re not as good as we think we are, but we’re going in the right direction and that’s the main thing," he added.

"We’ve got a good baseline, a good platform now to go into Bahrain with and hopefully we can build on that and start adding some downforce."

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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.

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