Alex Albon says his young teammate Franco Colapinto has quickly become a valuable asset for Williams, one whose impressive performances have elevated the British outfit, but also Albon himself.
Since replacing Logan Sargeant at Williams at last month’s Italian Grand Prix, Colapinto has delivered several impressive performances, including two top ten finishes, the last of which was his run to P10 last weekend in Austin.
The 21-year-old rookie has already established himself as a formidable presence at Williams alongside Albon.
But the Anglo-Thai racer welcomes the competition, and especially Colapinto’s contribution to Williams’ points tally in the championship.
“It’s nice,” Albon said ahead of this weekend’s Mexico City Grand Prix. “We’ve had the simulator working over the weekend – just trying to, over the last few days, have a look at the differences.
“But it elevates me, it elevates everyone in the team. When I have a bad weekend, we’re still scoring points, so that’s very positive.”
Colapinto’s rapid rise has introduced a new dynamic within Williams, and while some might believe that Albon previously had an easier comparison with his former teammates, the Anglo-Thai driver rejected the suggestion.
“No [it’s not a new experience], I think if you go back a few more years, you can [see I’ve had pressure],” he contended.
“At Williams, sure, but it’s how it’s always been. It’s how you race. It’s how you race since you’re nine years old. So, it’s alright.”
Colapinto’s contributions have not only been about raw speed or points but also about a deeper understanding of Williams’ evolving car package.
The introduced significant upgrades in August, and Albon has been closely watching his teammate’s approach to the W45, which has seemingly paid dividends.
He hinted that Colapinto’s set-up philosophy could guide his own decisions moving forward.
“We definitely have a different car balance with the new upgrades that we brought onto the car. We’re still yet to really fully understand them,” he said.
“We can see it in the data, we can see where we’re just trying to get to grips with what’s going on.”
“This will be the first weekend where I’m just kind of leaning a little bit more towards what the other side of the garage has been doing and just trying to see if that will help fix some of the issues that I’ve been having.
“I think actually around Mexico it’s going to be really important for us to try to get right because, on paper, the areas I’ve been struggling with are very corner-specific, and they’re corners that Mexico has a lot of, these kind of low-speed corners.”
For Albon, Colapinto’s success and work ethic bring renewed optimism and intensity to Williams’ campaign.
The young Argentine’s impressive debut has demonstrated that he belongs in the sport and has given Albon and the team new motivation to strive for even better results in the remaining races of the season.
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