Alex Albon has laid the blame for Formula 1’s wet weather struggles squarely on the current generation of cars, insisting it’s the design that makes racing in heavy rain nearly impossible.
The Williams driver pushed back against critics who say drivers are overly cautious and made to “look weak” for speaking up — arguing that when you can’t see more than a few metres ahead at full speed, caution isn’t just understandable, it’s essential.
Once again, treacherous wet conditions at Spa-Francorchamps sparked fierce debate over the challenges of racing in the rain in F1.
Many drivers criticised the FIA for delaying the start of the Belgian Grand Prix, claiming the governing body was too hesitant and waited too long for the track to dry before allowing racing.
But Albon’s main concern wasn’t with the timing of the start or the tyres — it was the current generation of cars and how much spray they produce, making visibility nearly impossible.
When asked if anything could be done to improve visibility, the 29-year-old was candid and unreserved in sharing his thoughts.
“I think we’ve tried – it’s not an issue that we haven’t left neglected,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“I do think these generation of cars are the biggest reason why – I hope next year at least a lot of that will go away.”
When asked what’s the point of having full Wet tyres if they’re never used, Albon agreed but argued the issue isn’t the tyres themselves.
“Yeah, I would say I agree, but I think the people who are most vocal about not driving are the drivers,” he added.
“We are vocal when we think it’s ready to go and when we think it was time. But at the moment, the full Wet tyre and the conditions of the tracks don’t align.
“The tracks are too wet. It’s not the tyres that are not good enough, it’s just that we can’t see.”
Why wet weather racing remains a tough call for drivers and FIA
Albon also highlighted how drivers often get misunderstood for voicing concerns about visibility.
“Unfortunately, we’re the only ones that can truly tell you what this is,” he said. “So I think the drivers are actually put in a bit of an awkward position in that sense because we look weak.
“We look like the ones that are complaining and that we should just get on with it. Whereas I think a good example would have been Isack [Hadjar] and Kimi [Antonelli] in Silverstone.
“It’s the worst feeling driving at 250 kilometres an hour and not being able to see 20 metres in front of you.
“I think the FIA listens to us very closely, and they do monitor and they’re always looking for solutions and potential areas they can improve to help us.
“But yeah, it’s a really awkward conversation because I agree with you. The Wets are fine to go racing. On the Wets, on a clear track, we would be totally fine. But at the moment, these cars are producing a huge amount of spray.”
When asked if there’s much that can be done to improve visibility in wet races, especially when running closely in a pack, Albon was frank about the challenges involved.
“Yeah, it’s tricky, I think there’s a few things,” he explained. “For example, we do like to do standing starts and we’re always pushing for standing starts, which puts on the show, but then it does make the issue worse.
“I think we did a decent job to do a rolling start for Spa at least. I think it’s almost like an impossible job for the FIA. We’ve historically seen some very severe life-threatening crashes in the wet, and to make that call, I don’t think any of us would want to be in their positions to do them.
“I honestly think we just have to see how the new regs go. Hopefully, the spray is going to improve as a consequence. I think it will.”
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