Williams driver Alex Albon reveals he has been working on the team’s 2024 Formula 1 car “since April” amid attempts to solve its long-standing balance problems.
After slipping back to the foot of the Constructors’ Championship for the third time in four years, Williams has improved in the second year of the latest technical regulations under the leadership of ex-Mercedes Strategy Director James Vowles.
The Grove-based outfit has recorded 11 points across the first 13 rounds to sit seventh in the standings heading into the break.
However, its gains have been dwarfed by the advances made by Aston Martin and McLaren, who have both launched into podium-scoring contention this season.
Despite McLaren’s evident improvement in terms of results, Lando Norris has repeatedly underlined that the upgraded MCL60 continues not to suit his driving style.
Therefore, Albon asserts Williams is attempting to extract performance gains for next year alongside changing the core car characteristics that have hindered it for several years prior to his arrival.
“If you listen to Lando’s and Oscar’s [Piastri] comments, they’re not saying the car itself has improved in terms of the balance, they just say that there’s a bit more downforce in the car,” he told Speedcafe.
“They’ve made a huge step in that sense, but not in the way the car drives.
“That being said, I started working on next year’s car since April on the simulator and working and changing the car characteristics to try to mitigate some of these constant balance issues we’ve been having for the last four or five years.
“That’s been a big focus for next year.”
Williams’ attempts to prop up the grid in recent years have continuously been thwarted by its cars possessing the same limitations, despite wholesale overhauls to the regulations occurring in that time.
Albon believes particular traits have passed through several rule changes due to it being “car DNA”, citing ex-team-mate Nicholas Latifi’s struggles in 2022 as evidence of the troubles Williams has encountered.
“Most teams, the way that teams are organised, the culture in the teams, the philosophies in the teams, they get ingrained.
“That’s why you see… it’s amazing how regulations can change so much… I can only compare to Nicky’s comments, because he went from the ’21 car to the ’22 car, and he said exactly the same; same limitations, same positives as well.
“It’s just the world of Formula 1 is quite unique in that way, and that’s why it’s hard to change it, because it can be quite ingrained.
“It’s also why you see teams employing from other teams; you need that complete overview of how other teams are doing their aerodynamics or philosophies and things,” he added.
