Not just Carlos Sainz
The week following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the final race of the 2024 season, Formula 1 returned to the Yas Marina circuit for post-season testing, during which Carlos Sainz took his first official laps behind the wheel of the Williams. Since then, the former Ferrari driver has been in the spotlight, though his Spanish teammate’s current teammate, Alex Albon, hasn’t been sidelined at Grove.
The Excel case
Having been at Williams since 2022 and finishing every season in the points zone, the Anglo-Thai driver has personally experienced the rebuilding process of the historic British team, especially since the arrival of James Vowles as the new Team Principal. The former Mercedes strategist had highlighted the team’s difficulties, calling it a “joke” for a team of Williams’ stature to use an Excel spreadsheet to monitor car components.
More calm
Despite the drop from 7th to 9th place in the 2023 Constructors’ Championship, Alex Albon was the first to acknowledge all the changes that have taken place under James Vowles’ leadership, even feeling reassured about the team’s development heading into the next season. “When you think about how the car is built and the whole famous Excel spreadsheet story and so on, all of that is gone,” he told RacingNews365.com. “We are much more up-to-date and in tune with the times compared to before. There’s a learning process, and we’re still learning. It’s only been 12 months since we changed all the team’s systems. So, in many ways, I have the peace of mind knowing that the things we did weren’t perfect, and if we had stuck with our old habits, we would have done well. Knowing that everything is moving in the right direction for the future gives me peace of mind and reassures me that we’re on the right track.”
Leave a Reply