Albon welcomes challenge of Sainz as Williams teammate

22 August 2024 - 14:08 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Albon said Williams would be a different environment for the Spaniard, with the focus on improving the car and creating a team capable of regularly fighting for points.
Albon said Williams would be a different environment for the Spaniard, with the focus on improving the car and creating a team capable of regularly fighting for points.
Image: Jayce Illman/Getty Images

Alex Albon welcomed the challenge of having Carlos Sainz as his Williams teammate next season and said he hoped they could lift the former champions back up the Formula One pecking order.

Spaniard Sainz is leaving Ferrari to make way for incoming seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and his move to Williams was announced as the sport headed into the August break.

“It will be a challenge. Carlos is highly regarded, I welcome it,” Albon told reporters at the Dutch Grand Prix, the start of the second half of the season, on Thursday.

“It's great to have that competition and I enjoy that ... we'll be able to learn from each other.”

Albon said Williams would be a different environment for the Spaniard with the focus on improving the car and creating a team capable of regularly fighting for points.

Williams are ninth of the 10 teams, with only four points from 14 races — all scored by Albon whose American teammate Logan Sargeant will leave at the end of the year.

Albon also has top team experience. The British-born Thai joined Williams in 2022 after a year out following a stint as teammate to now-triple world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull in 2019 and 2020.

“I think we'll push each other hard,” he said of Sainz.

“Especially interested to see what his feedback is. You have a lot of things you want to try to change, things which he will have found over his time with the new generation of cars that he can bring to Williams.

“I've spent three years driving a Williams and you get quite used to driving that. It's nice to have that fresh look on things and especially for it to be at a top team, it always helps.”

Sainz has been at Ferrari since 2021, with Charles Leclerc. Before that he was with Lando Norris at McLaren, had a stint with Nico Hulkenberg at Renault and started with Verstappen at Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso (now RB) in 2015.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now

Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.