Alex Albon plans to use his Red Bull past to help restore Williams to their former glory.
The British-Thai racer spent a year out of F1 in 2021, after his 18-month stint with the Milton Keynes outfit did not go to plan. But he was given a second chance to impress in the sport, helped by Red Bull to land a seat at Williams for this season.
And since then he has not looked back. Albon has struggled for points this year, but that is entirely down to having an uncompetitive car – his performances have been frequently impressive, and saw him rewarded with a new multi-year deal to make sure his place on the grid was secure.
Going forward, his plan is to help the team to move back towards the front of the grid. In an interview with Mirror Sport last month Albon admitted there is no "secret sauce" to making that happen, but new quotes from the 26-year-old suggest he plans to draw on his past experiences with Red Bull.
"Williams can do better, much better," he told RacingNews365. "If you look at the races where we've scored points [Australia, Miami, Belgium], we've really maximized [our potential]. At the other races, you see P11, P12, P13, always somewhere around there.
"Realistically, though, those results come about via DNFs [from other drivers] or by consistent driving and good work [from Williams]. Compared to last year, I think we are starting in about the same position. What is the case now, however, is that Haas and Alfa Romeo have a bit more pace than they had last year.
"I think we are doing well. take advantage of the teams that are struggling – that will take us to Q2 or that will take us to a points finish. But of course we want more."
To achieve that, he wants to maximise his car setup in the same way his old team-mate Max Verstappen does. The Red Bull star is known for liking a car that turns sharply, and Albon is very much of the same breed. "We basically have the same thing," he added.
"These tyres are bigger and more air is moved around them aerodynamically – and then there's also the problem with the floor design. We still struggle at low speed, especially compared to the top teams. We know exactly what we want – we want more grip at the front. At low speed more at the front and at high speed a little more grip at the rear, that's the goal.
"The experience at Red Bull helps, because I now understand what a car needs to go fast – a good feeling at the front is always good, but it's the overall feeling that should be nice. It allows me to know which direction to go with the set-up. I have already had to use that experience and gained a lot this year."