Alex Albon opened up about his on-air frustration with Williams’ race tactics during the Monaco Grand Prix, questioning whether the team was “too clever” with its strategy in a race that ultimately saw him finish eighth.
Albon and teammate Carlos Sainz started 11th and 12th, aiming to replicate last year’s successful “team game”—holding up rivals to create pit windows. Sainz held up the pack to give Albon space to pit, and later, Albon did the same for Sainz. But during the race, Albon became concerned that the plan was backfiring, especially after losing a position to Arvid Lindblad while wrestling with a deployment issue that cost him time on the straights.
“At the time, I felt like trying to be smart had actually put both cars out of the points,” Albon admitted. With high attrition and a series of penalties, he eventually moved up to eighth, while Sainz missed out on points after being hit twice following a restart.
Despite the tension, Albon recognized that the strategy worked out in the end, saying, “It was all going to plan, and then the DNFs created more opportunities. We shifted well as a team, but my car’s issues made things tougher.”
Albon noted that simply fighting for points represents progress for Williams after a tough start to the season. While he’s still seeking comfort in the car, he’s encouraged by the team’s performance in recent races—especially at slower-speed tracks like Monaco. Looking ahead, though, he warned that the next round in Barcelona could be more challenging due to the car’s excess weight and struggles in medium-speed corners.
For now, Albon is focusing on overcoming the technical gremlins while building momentum for the rest of the season.
