Williams’ Alex Albon impresses in qualifying with calm control and consistency, securing a well-earned Q3 spot amid intense midfield competition.
Alex Albon continued his strong form at the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, making it into Q3 during Saturday’s qualifying session. The Williams driver was surprised by just how tight the midfield battle was, with mere fractions separating the cars.
“It’s incredibly close out there. Based on our numbers, the entire midfield was split by just a tenth of a second. Honestly, Q1 and Q2 felt almost the same—it was that tight,” Albon said.
“I’m really happy with how I managed my laps and kept things clean. The wind was gusty and unpredictable, and it’s easy to slip up in those conditions. But I think I stayed consistent, and that made the difference.”
He added that Shanghai’s technical layout and sensitive tyres make it a tough challenge: “It’s a tricky track, and it’s easy to overdo it. The tyres are really delicate. But I felt like I was in a good rhythm today. We made a few setup tweaks that helped, but there’s still work to do. I’m happy with today—tomorrow’s race, though, will be another big test.”
Sainz Still Chasing Confidence
On the other side of the garage, Carlos Sainz didn’t make it past Q2 and admitted he’s still struggling to unlock the car’s full potential on quick laps.
“It’s the same issues every qualifying. When I push hard, I lose confidence in certain corners, and I just can’t improve the lap time,” Sainz explained.
“I’m trying to make the most of it, but I haven’t quite nailed it yet—especially in the final sector. I know I’ll get there with the car, it’s just about speeding up the process.”
Looking ahead to the race, he added: “We’ve made some big setup changes and we’re hoping they’ll help. Race management will be key again, so let’s see what we can do.”
Team Principal James Vowles reflected on a tough Sprint earlier in the day, but was optimistic about the improvements made since then.
“This morning we didn’t have the car where we needed it. In the Sprint, we suffered more tyre graining than most around us,” Vowles said. “We had to manage it as best we could. But we made some significant setup changes for both drivers ahead of qualifying and the Grand Prix, and we believe that’s put us in a stronger position going forward.”
- Discover More>Racing Bulls Shock in Shanghai: Hadjar and Tsunoda Deliver in Qualifying
- Follow us on >Facebook and >Twitter for F1 updates
Albon shines in Shanghai as consistency pays off again
Albon shines in Shanghai as consistency pays off again
