Alex Albon has revealed that Williams has set up an “active working group” to ensure that he and Carlos Sainz are best prepared to tackle Formula 1’s new 2026 rules.
The impending overhaul will see simultaneous changes to the chassis and engine regulations in a revamp that is considered among the biggest in the sport’s history.
There have been widespread reservations in several quarters, though, about the anticipated reduction in cornering speeds and the revised energy deployment system.
Albon, who has experienced both the current and previous generation cars, has admitted that the 2026 challengers will be incomparable to what has come previously.
“I think it will be different to anything we’ve used before,” Albon told media including Motorsport Week.
“We will get used to it, that’s the job of the driver, but it is going to take some getting used to.”
Albon predicts increased winter simulator usage
Albon has predicted drivers will dedicate more time to the simulator over the winter break in order to get up to speed prior to their inaugural run in the actual 2026 car.
“Let’s just say, for example, our winter breaks that we spend, I don’t think it will be spent as casually as it was the previous few years where we’re training,” he added.
“I think there’s going to be so much more attention on simulator work that we’re going to be doing over the winter and making sure that we understand how it all works and trying different driving styles and things to make it work.”
Albon has divulged that Williams has established a group that is devoted to helping develop the understanding that he and Sainz have about the next-generation cars.
“I know, for example, at Williams we have an active working group,” the Anglo-Thai driver elaborated.
“We’re just working on how we can prepare the drivers as best as we can, giving us as much information and as much preparation as possible for next year.”
READ MORE – Alex Albon reveals how F1 drivers can ‘abuse the system’ of 2026 regulations
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