Alexander Albon has expressed he is not worried about the jump forward to the Red Bull senior team so early on in his career ahead of his first appearance for the team at the Belgian Grand Prix.
Albon, who had not even driven Formula 1 machinery prior to pre-season testing with the Toro Rosso team – was promoted to the senior team during the summer break in place of Pierre Gasly.
New team-mate Max Verstappen has already won two races this season in the RB15 which has given him a sense of what is possible from a driving perspective.
The Anglo-Thai driver remains humbled by the promotion to a race-winning team in his rookie season in F1 but is confident he will continue to improve and wants to establish himself alongside his new team-mate.
“Not many drivers get the chance to drive a car capable of winning a race so early in their F1 career, so it’s a great opportunity to be driving for Red Bull,” said Albon.
“It’s a big step and a big difference.
“We know what the car is capable of and we’ve seen what Max has been able to do this year. I want to see what it’s like compared to what I’m used to, but at the same time, I know this weekend is my first time in the car, I’m still learning and improving as a driver and there’s definitely more to come.
“I know one of the main differences will be the noise and attention that comes with the move but I’m keeping my feet on the ground. I’m just focusing on the job I have to do for Spa, I’ll be doing a lot of listening and observing.
“This is a big step, but I feel I’ve been through these big jumps before and taken the opportunities – I’m not worried about that. I’m focused and ready to be as strong as possible for the second half of the year.
“We’ve got as much simulator prep done as we can, so now it’s about going through procedural things with the team and getting to know everyone. It should be good!”
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