Albon explains what he’s learned from Sainz, on and off the track

Alex Albon says teaming up with Carlos Sainz has been a masterclass in F1 – not just on track, but off it – during Williams’ standout 2025 season.

The Thai-British racer, who finished eighth in the championship, says the four-time Grand Prix winner’s experience and approach have taught him lessons that go far beyond improving his driving.

Sainz joined Williams from Ferrari, and immediately made his presence felt. Albon, who had previously partnered with Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant at the Grove-based outfit, welcomed having a teammate of Sainz’s calibre.

“Definitely different in terms of a culture and mindset. I would say that, being totally honest, just as an approach between the two cars, much more equal in the way that the team has treated us,” he explained last weekend in Abu Dhabi, quoted by Motorsport.com.

“I could definitely say I had, for the majority, the preferential treatment in previous years.

“In terms of us two working together, [there is] more backwards and forwards in terms of feedback ping-pong, where we're just having the same opinions about the car.

“We speak in a very similar language, I think. Carlos is more experienced than I am, but in terms of our age and our approach, we handle things in a very similar way.”

Learning On and Off the Track

Albon credited Sainz with helping him elevate his own driving as well as the team’s performance.

“In terms of pushing me, yes, it's great to have someone,” he said. “It's a different data set to have a look at, different driving style to me. We want similar things in the car, but we actually normally arrive to qualifying with a very similar set-up.

“I feel like every driver would say this, when you have a team-mate who's a step up, you learn more. There's more to learn in terms of your driving styles. There are some corners that you were previously quick at, which you're now the same as.

“And there are some corners that you need to learn, adapt, drive differently. And I'm sure it goes the other way for Carlos too. It's been good to see.

“I think the biggest thing I've learned from Carlos is more the non-driving side of things. So the way that we conduct meetings and develop the car in the simulator and go around our free practice programmes, things like that, you can see the experience with Carlos in that way.”

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Williams’ revival in 2025, highlighted by Sainz’s podiums in Azerbaijan and Qatar, was clearly boosted by the combination of Albon’s pace and Sainz’s seasoned approach.

For Albon, the partnership has been a lesson not just in driving, but in approaching the many layers of a modern F1 season – from setup to strategy to teamwork.

With both drivers pushing each other and sharing insights, Williams has proven that having two competitive teammates who “speak the same language” can finally lift the team back into the upper echelons of Formula 1.

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