Alex Albon says Williams "would have bitten the arm off" anyone who would have told the team that it would be seventh in F1's Constructors' standings midway through the 2023 season.
Williams certainly did not enter this year's campaign with overstated ambitions given its depressed results in 2022, the first season of F1's ground effect regulations.
Furthermore, management changes and the arrival at the start of the year of James Vowles have led to a lengthy transformative phase for the team during which the former Mercedes strategist is juggling his day-to-day responsibilities with a deep overhaul of Williams' foundation.
Against such a complex and dynamic backdrop, there was little hope that Williams' FW45, a car which shares the lack of downforce characteristics of its predecessor, would break into the top ten in anything other than circumstances.
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However, the car's aero deficit has actually proven somewhat beneficial on low downforce tracks.
Thanks to Albon's efforts in Bahrain, Montreal and at Silverstone, Williams has already surpassed year-to-date its 2022 points tally, which has left the team a creditable P7 in F1's Constructors' standings at the mid-way point of its season.
"Honestly, I have to say it's been a really good year for us so far," said Albon after last month's Belgian Grand Prix, quoted by Motorsport.com.
"I don't want to say too much but it feels like the way that we started in Bahrain and where we are right now, we've made great progress.
"Maybe not as much as the McLarens, but on our side, we are heading in the right direction.
"We are seventh right now in the constructors' championship, tied. If you had told me or anyone from the team that at the start of the year, we would have bitten your arm off, so it is going well.
"Obviously, we just need to stay focused and keep going at it. But I'm sure, as a team, we can take the summer break off and enjoy it and come back refreshed."
Williams' latest upgrades – as embodied by the floor and sidepod design introduced in Canada – have allowed its FW45 to improve its performance on higher downforce circuits, as Albon's P11 in Hungary demonstrated.
The Anglo-Thai racer says the car's slightly more polyvalent nature has boosted the team's confidence.
"It's just great going to every race weekend being able to fight for points, and being in that area where you feel like you go to every weekend knowing that," he said.
"It just builds confidence and motivation for everyone in the team.
"So, I would say we're enjoying these moments, and hopefully we can score some points."
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