Albon hoping for Williams resurgence in Miami after Shanghai drag

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Alex Albon is expecting a stronger display by Williams next week in Miami after last weekend’s challenging event at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Despite a spirited drive in the Chinese Grand Prix, Albon and Williams fell short of their points target once again.

The Thai driver clawed his way back from P14 to finish P12, overtaking Pierre Gasly's Alpine in the process. But that was as good as it got for Albon, who even played down his progress in the race.

“Yeah, but [there were] a lot of DNFs,” he said. “It was an okay race, we did the best we could I think. Our result was more or less where we were.

“I don’t know about that Safety Car, I don’t know if it helped us or hindered us, but it hasn’t been our track this weekend. Hopefully in Miami we’ll be a bit stronger.”

Read also: F1i's Driver Ratings for the 2024 Chinese GP

Albon and teammate Logan Sargeant both acknowledged their current struggles at the wheel of Williams’ FW46, the American driver hinting in China at a sense of “disconnect” with his car, an issue that may take some time to solve.

“We understand it but a solution is not soon, not immediate,” Albon explained. “We just need a few things, a few upgrades to go our way and to work, and then I think we’ll be much more competitive.”

Last season, Williams also struggled in the opening phase of the season but showed significant improvement later in the year after the introduction of upgrades, culminating in a respectable seventh-place finish in the Constructors' Championship.

That resurgence has instilled a sense of belief within the team, leading Albon to express confidence in their ability to replicate that progress in the latter half of the 2024 season.

“I think we’ll be more competitive in Miami already, just because of the nature of the circuit, not for anything else,” concluded Albon.

“It’s obviously been tough – it was tough last year [at] the start of the season, then we came strong, so fingers crossed.”

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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.