Alex Albon’s strong form at Williams this season is getting the credit it deserves in the F1 paddock — and according to team principal James Vowles, it’s no coincidence that the arrival of Carlos Sainz has triggered the Thai-Briton’s latest upward curve.
Albon’s stellar P5 finish at Imola, one of the standout results for Williams in recent seasons, was just the latest demonstration of a driver thriving on consistency, confidence — and a healthy dose of intra-team competition.
While Sainz came into Grove with a reputation as one of the sport’s most complete performers, it is Albon who has quietly set the benchmark over long runs so far this season.
A Push From Within
Vowles, speaking in the build-up to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, credited Sainz's presence as the catalyst for Albon unlocking even more of his undeniable potential.
“Alex, like any human being, needs to be pushed in order to get the absolute most out of them,” said Vowles.
“I don't know any elite athlete that is able to find the absolute limit by themselves, they need someone else to show them that a bit. So, first and foremost, that's it.”
Far from creating a toxic rivalry, Vowles revealed the two have struck up a genuinely productive working relationship — underpinned by a rare openness and a lack of politics.
“We're now looking at the data, Alex is able to see two or three corners where Carlos is doing something slightly different, and they bounce off each other,” he continued.
“Alex has no politics in him whatsoever at all, so it actually allows Carlos to be completely himself. He doesn't have to be worried about having a situation being thrown back against him.”
Read also:
Albon: ‘Strange’ to feel disappointed with strong Imola P5
Vowles acknowledged that earlier tensions in Miami were rooted in misperceptions about team favoritism — a concern quickly put to rest.
“That's actually what caused part of the problem in Miami, he was worried that that was the circumstance and it's not whatsoever at all,” Vowles clarified.
“With Alex, we've just got an individual who loves driving and racing cars fast and loves talking about it, and from the first meetings we had, Alex was telling everything to Carlos: 'Try this, do this, have a look at this, I did this in this corner and it'll help you get there.’”
That level of collaboration, Vowles admitted, is far from common.
“That's not normal. Normally in teams, what you do is one of your drivers tries to hold that all back so you gain your advantage for a longer period of time.”
Surprising Speed – and Some Caution
For Albon himself, this recent purple patch has come with a measure of disbelief. He confessed after Imola that he’s been constantly expecting the performance to fall away — only for it to stubbornly persist.
“It's a weird one,” Albon admitted. “Honestly, I keep telling myself it won't happen again, and it's this race, and then we go to the next race, and we're still very quick again, and it's a bit like, is it circumstantial, is it not?
"I would honestly say Miami and here, we've been quick. In my opinion, almost unexpectedly quick this weekend; I expected Miami to be good, but not here, and it kind of opens the window for what else.
"Maybe next week [at Monte Carlo] we're going to be good. I actually think Monaco won't be too bad, I think Barcelona we're going to struggle, but let's keep going, enjoying this while it lasts.”
While neither Vowles nor Albon is suggesting Williams is about to shake up the top of the grid, the evolving dynamic between its drivers – one a seasoned contender fresh out of Ferrari, the other a Red Bull exile who has slowly rebuilt his career – may be the secret weapon the team needs in the midfield arms race.
For now, Vowles is relishing the unexpected harmony: a rare blend of trust, transparency, and competition that’s propelling both drivers, and Williams, forward.
In an F1 landscape often dominated by intra-team tension and guarded telemetry, Williams may have stumbled onto something quietly powerful: two drivers pushing each other, not apart – but upward.
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
Vowles: Albon-Sainz collaboration ‘not normal’ but fueling progress F1i.com.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Vowles: Albon-Sainz collaboration ‘not normal’ but fueling progress )
Also on site :