Albon Frustrated by COTA Rhythm, Williams Eyes Mexico Reset

Alex Albon expressed frustration over a lack of "rhythm with the circuit" during the United States Grand Prix, despite acknowledging "good pace." He finished 14th after qualifying 19th, but secured three points with a sixth-place finish in the Saturday sprint race. This challenging weekend has Williams looking to reset for the upcoming Mexico GP.

Why it matters:

Williams' struggle for consistent performance, highlighted by Albon's COTA experience and teammate Logan Sargeant's incident, underscores the team's ongoing battle to maximize their car's potential. Converting "good pace" into consistent points finishes is crucial for their Constructors' Championship aspirations and for establishing themselves as regular midfield contenders.

The Details:

• Albon's COTA Performance: Finished 14th in the main race, qualifying 19th. Secured P6 and three points in the sprint race.
• Frustration with Rhythm: Albon noted he "wasn’t clicking in the corners" and felt out of "rhythm with the circuit," despite having "good pace" at times.
• Tire Strategy: Started on hard tires, a strategy that failed to provide expected grip, leading to an early pit stop and a "scrappy" race.
• Sargeant's Incident: Teammate Logan Sargeant's race ended early after a collision with Mercedes' Andrea Kimi Antonelli, resulting in a five-place grid penalty for the Mexico GP.
  • Team Chief James Vowles acknowledged the incident as "just a part of racing" but stressed the need to avoid such contact.
• Team's Perspective: James Vowles highlighted the positive of "really strong car pace" which the team plans to carry forward for the remainder of the season.

What's next:

Williams is focusing on tidying up their performance for the Mexican Grand Prix. The team aims to translate their underlying car pace into stronger qualifying positions and cleaner races to consistently challenge for points.

• Mexico GP Focus: Albon is looking for a "smooth weekend" to "tidy a few things up."
• Learning from COTA: The team will analyze the COTA weekend for "key learnings" to improve their strategy and execution.
• Avoiding Incidents: The emphasis will be on qualifying both cars in point-scoring positions and racing without contact or incident to maximize their potential on track.