Williams driver Alex Albon claims the entire team “would have bitten your arm off” to be seventh place in the standings at the summer break of the 2023 Formula 1 season.
After propelling its way up to eighth in 2021, the overhaul to the technical regulations last year witnessed Williams slump back to the foot of the Constructors’ Championship for the fourth time in five seasons.
However, James Vowles’ arrival as Team Principal from Mercedes has elevated the Grove side’s performance level, with the team having already accumulated three more points than it did last year.
While rookie Logan Sargeant has encountered a difficult rookie campaign, Albon has followed up a point at the opening round in Bahrain with a seventh place in Canada and an eighth place at Silverstone.
Albon, who has scored the entirety of the British camp’s 11 points to date, states Williams’ current position in the pecking order has exceeded its expectations.
“Honestly, I have to say it’s been a really good year for us so far,” he reflected via Motorsport.com.
“I don’t want to say too much but it feels like the way that we started in Bahrain and where we are right now, we’ve made great progress.
“Maybe not as much as the McLarens, but on our side, we are heading in the right direction.
“We are seventh right now in the constructors’ championship, tied. If you had told me or anyone from the team that at the start of the year, we would have bitten your arm off, so it is going well.
“Obviously, we just need to stay focused and keep going at it. But I’m sure, as a team, we can take the summer break off and enjoy it and come back refreshed.”
Like last year, the team has typically gone strong on low-downforce circuits that reduce the deficiency that its current package upholds from an aerodynamic standpoint.
However, since introducing a new floor and sidepods at the Canadian Grand Prix in June, Williams has also enjoyed more competitive outings on higher-downforce configurations.
Albon was able to execute an ambitious strategy to trail home 11th around the twisty Hungaroring, with the Thai driver expressing his delight at the FW45 beginning to become more competitive everywhere.
“It’s just great going to every race weekend being able to fight for points, and being in that area where you feel like you go to every weekend knowing that, it just builds confidence and motivation for everyone in the team,” he underlined.
“So, I would say we’re enjoying these moments, and hopefully we can we can score some points.”
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