Albon would be able ‘to get around’ Red Bull’s 'knife edge' car today

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Williams driver Alex Albon believes his seasoned experience in F1 would now allow him to master Red Bull Racing’s famously unforgiving car – a challenge that has defeated several of Max Verstappen’s teammates past and present, including himself.

Albon spent just over a season with Red Bull between 2019 and 2020, where he was partnered with the four-time world champion. Like Pierre Gasly before him – and Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda since – Albon struggled to consistently match Verstappen’s pace in the Red Bull machinery and was dropped at the end of 2020.

Since joining Williams, however, the Thai-British driver has rebuilt his reputation, leading the Grove outfit’s charge and proving his worth as one of the most consistent drivers in the midfield.

A Knife Edge’ Car Philosophy

Now, speaking ahead of this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix, Albon opened up about why he believes Red Bull’s second seat has been such a revolving door — and why he’d approach it differently today.

“I think the [Red Bull] cars are on a knife edge,” Albon said. “I think Max can drive it. Obviously I can speak from experience – I struggled a bit.

“It’s also difficult because – maybe it’s my own interpretation of it – but the RB is quite a forgiving car. It’s quite well balanced, it’s very stable, it gives you a lot of confidence."

“And I think it’s naturally become that kind of car because they always have rookies in that car. So the foundations of the team are built on young drivers.

“And then the Red Bull is almost [the other] extreme. You’re going from one of the cars that’s most forgiving to the trickiest. And so you’re having to adapt quite a lot to two very different cars.”

Ready for Another Shot?

Despite rumours last year linking him with a sensational Red Bull return, Albon remains committed to Williams, where he’s currently outperforming the likes of Carlos Sainz in the driver market saga.

Still, when asked if he’d do better with Red Bull today, he didn’t hesitate.

“I think with the experience I have now, I’d be able to get around it,” Albon said. “But it’s not something that feels that natural to most drivers.”

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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.