F1 2024 a “missed alternative” for Williams

Alex Albon says the 2024 Method 1 season seems like a “missed alternative” for Williams because it dropped to ninth within the standings.

Williams began the season on the again foot with an obese FW46, and whereas a number of effort went into taking the burden out once more, that additionally impacted its replace schedule. The Grove-based staff solely added one vital two-part replace to the automotive proper after the summer time break.

That gave Williams a quick window of competitiveness within the midfield earlier than rival groups edged forward once more, with a spread of pricey operational errors and crashes additional denting the staff’s probabilities to maneuver up.

Albon feels the staff ought to have scored many extra factors at the beginning of the marketing campaign, one thing that might have given it a practical likelihood to struggle Alpine, Haas and RB, which might have been attainable with a automotive that had been launched on the burden restrict somewhat than considerably above it.

“My basic opinion is a sense of just a little little bit of a missed alternative,” he mentioned. “It is easy to concentrate on the latter finish of the season and the crashes, however realistically we began with an obese automotive. We should always have scored many extra factors firstly of the 12 months. 

“We had one improve, which was a great improve, and we sort of had a center a part of the season that was respectable. The plan was at all times to concentrate on subsequent 12 months early and at that time a number of groups overtook us.

“So, if we had began off a bit stronger, like what the Astons did, had a peakier starting and trailed off on the finish, we’d nonetheless have had a strong season, however we did not. 

“I feel our greatest interval was in that center of the season; Monza, Baku, sort of Singapore, that was the place our automotive was performing properly, and now everybody’s sort of caught up. However we have additionally simply had a number of unhealthy luck and a number of points, a number of crashes to be honest.

“However in some ways, I really feel prefer it’s extra of a missed alternative firstly of the 12 months than anything.”

For Albon, Williams’ bruising 2024 marketing campaign is less complicated to tackle the chin given the plans staff boss James Vowles has laid out to transfer the staff out of its present plight for 2026 and past.

“In the long run, I am not too upset. I am not right here for short-term success. I am right here for the long run, so I am pleased with it,” he added.

“Workforce principals can discuss, however I feel it is fairly apparent the setbacks we have had this 12 months. We have been fairly public about it, and I feel James may be very trustworthy with the place we’re, exhibiting you the path and the steps again that we’re having to make in some locations to get into a greater place for the longer term. 

“He is very trustworthy with me as properly, very open with me, and now we have this open dialogue. Perhaps it’s taking a bit longer than we wished to, however I am glad now we have the aspirations to not simply be combating the ahead finish of the midfield. We wish greater than that, so we’re constantly sacrificing simply to get the upgrades.”