After arriving at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend at Spa-Francorchamps hoping for redemption following two consecutive retirements in Canada and Austria, Alexander Albon was once again forced to deal with a new technical setback. The Williams Racing driver failed to make it past the first qualifying session of the Sprint Shootout, eliminated by a mere four hundredths of a second due to a recurring issue with the power unit installed in his FW46 single-seater.
The fault, which had already appeared during Free Practice 1 earlier in the day, initially seemed to have been resolved. However, the issue resurfaced during the crucial Sprint qualifying session. Alexander Albon explained how the power unit problem negatively impacted his performance, particularly on Spa’s high-speed straights where engine power plays a decisive role.
“We have an issue with the engine,” Albon said. “We experienced it already during FP1 and thought we had fixed it, but clearly that wasn’t the case. We’re losing time on every straight and we need to find a solution.”
Team Principal James Vowles had previously admitted that the Grove-based squad was forced to make compromises to reduce the risk of mechanical failures on the power unit side. Albon was very clear in describing the issue as “fundamental,” strongly suggesting that a full engine change may be necessary to avoid further setbacks.
“It’s likely going to be a Power Unit change or something similar. We’ll get to the bottom of it and hopefully come back stronger,” Albon added.
In addition to the power unit trouble, Albon’s qualifying attempt was also affected by yellow flags that came out when Lewis Hamilton stopped his car at the chicane. Nevertheless, the Anglo-Thai driver insisted that, even without that incident, his lap time would not have changed significantly due to the engine’s performance deficit.
In his analysis of the session, Albon highlighted that the Williams car showed promising pace in the more technical, corner-heavy middle sector of the circuit.
“During FP1 we were third fastest in Sector 2. Even in qualifying, we were performing well through the corners. The problem lies in Sector 1 and Sector 3 where we are heavily penalised due to the engine,” he explained.
Between failures and fighting spirit: Sprint challenge still open
Despite the difficulties encountered, Alexander Albon remains confident in the potential of the Williams FW46 and in the team’s ability to turn the weekend around. When not hindered by reliability issues, the car has proven capable of competitive performances, particularly in twistier sections of the track. The Sprint Race might begin from a disadvantaged position, but the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is long and unpredictable — and Albon has already demonstrated in the past that he can rise to the occasion when his machinery allows it.
With the prospect of a new power unit installation and setup adjustments ahead, Williams will look to regroup and optimize their strategy to salvage the remaining sessions. Albon’s ability to capitalize on race opportunities will be crucial, especially as Spa is a circuit that can still deliver surprises — both in terms of weather and on-track action.
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