Formula 1 racing thrives on constant evolution, and Alex Albon is embracing the challenge head-on with a “very different” FW45 car that has forced the Anglo-Thai racer to change his driving style to tame the new beast.
Williams' 2023 campaign was a breath of fresh air for the Grove-based outfit which secured its best result since 2017 with a seventh-place finish in the Constructors' Championship.
But throughout the season, Albon - who single-handedly accrued all but one of the team's points - remained vocal about the FW45’s inherent limitations holding the team back.
Williams aimed to address those issues for this season, its engineers crafting a more well-rounded package for 2024.
However, this evolution has led to a car presenting a very distinct feeling compared to its processor, which in turn translates to a whole new driving style, demanding Albon to unlearn and relearn techniques to maximize the car's potential.
“Very different, more than anything, different feeling, so different driving style applied,” he replied when asked about the contrast between last year’s charger and this year’s design based on his simulator work.
“I think that, let’s see, obviously, I don’t want to speak too soon, but the [FW]45 always had some consistent limitations with the car, especially when we went to tracks like Monaco or Barcelona, they were highlighted.
“Low speed was always a big issue for us, braking was always a big issue for us, but also high speed, long corners were difficult for us.”
©Williams
“Definitely in the simulator you can see that these areas have improved, but at the same time that comes with quite a different driving style.
“I think really until you hit the track you can really start to try to understand it and pick it apart.”
While Williams 2023 car had its strengths, it also presented challenges, some of which have been embedded in the British outfit’s designs for several seasons.
But Albon says his feedback last year has helped Williams iron out part of its car’s chronic quirks
“But it’s not just my feedback, it’s every team-mate, even 2021, 2020, when I wasn’t even driving the car, it was the same issues,” he said.
“There’s always been an inherent issue with the Williams cars in the last 4 or 5 years.”
Albon said that that last year, Williams had purposefully limited its FW45 development programe to focus on the conception of its FW46.
“I think this year especially we’ve sacrificed a little bit of development time on the 45 car to focus on the [FW]46, shortening the amount of upgrades we had on the car, to make sure that we try to attack this car a little bit more aggressively and really start to change the DNA of the car,” he added.
“That’s the plan, let’s see if it happens.”
Whether the FW46 will deliver a true leap forward, or simply a different set of hurdles, will unfold on the track.
But one thing is clear: Albon, known for his adaptability and resilience, is ready to embrace the unknown and push himself to extract the best from his new machine.
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