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Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Russell says Albon has more to pay after lobster dinner
BARCELONA, May 30 (Reuters) - George Russell says Alex Albon still owes him because the tab for a lobster pasta dinner picked up by his friend and Formula One rival after the Monaco Grand Prix was not enough to make amends for the race. Mercedes driver Russell finished 11th last Sunday with Albon ninth and Williams teammate Carlos Sainz 10th, the pair using strategy to defend their scoring positions on an afternoon without overtaking. Russell, who had scored points in every round up to Monaco, said afterwards that Albon would be paying for dinner and the Thai obliged. "He ordered the most expensive thing on the menu," Albon told reporters hungry for more detail at the Spanish Grand Prix. "He did, actually. It was the lobster pasta. "Lobster pasta, in Monaco... Monaco is not cheap. On race weekends, they bump up the prices everywhere." Albon said he chose a carbonara, admittedly with wagyu beef, and Russell skipped dessert. Asked whether it had been an expensive restaurant, Russell suggested Albon escaped lightly. "Not expensive enough. So, the bill is definitely not even just yet," he said.
CNA
7 days ago
- Automotive
- CNA
Albon buys Russell dinner after Monaco strategy block
MONACO :Williams driver Alex Albon paid a price for keeping George Russell out of the points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix - the bill for dinner with his Mercedes friend and rival. Russell finished 11th, behind Albon in ninth and Williams' Carlos Sainz in 10th. The Williams drivers used strategy, driving comparatively slowly and swapping positions to create gaps and allow each other time to pit without losing places on a track where overtaking is practically impossible. Russell, who had been one of only four drivers to score in every race this season, said Albon would be paying for dinner. Albon then posted a photograph on Instagram of the pair together and him holding up the bill with the caption "You're welcome". Russell collected a drive through penalty for cutting the chicane to get ahead of Albon, frustrated at being unable to pass any other way. "The strategy was for Kimi (Antonelli) and I to help each other out and gain positions throughout the race. Unfortunately, Williams and Racing Bulls opted for the same strategy, and it left us without any real options," he said. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that Williams principal James Vowles, who used to work with him, had texted to apologise. "I'm sorry. We had no choice given what happened ahead'," said Vowles in the message, read out by Wolff. "I answered 'we know'," said the Austrian. "James is one of my guys, and I don't want to sound patronising, because he's making a career as a team principal, and he's doing really well," he added. Racing Bulls had Isack Hadjar finish sixth and Liam Lawson eighth after the New Zealander held up traffic and allowed his French teammate to build up a lead without fear of being overtaken.
Reuters
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Reuters
Albon buys Russell dinner after Monaco strategy block
MONACO, May 26 (Reuters) - Williams driver Alex Albon paid a price for keeping George Russell out of the points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix -- the bill for dinner with his Mercedes friend and rival. Russell finished 11th, behind Albon in ninth and Williams' Carlos Sainz in 10th. The Williams drivers used strategy, driving comparatively slowly and swapping positions to create gaps and allow each other time to pit without losing places on a track where overtaking is practically impossible. Russell, who had been one of only four drivers to score in every race this season, said Albon would be paying for dinner. Albon then posted a photograph on Instagram of the pair together and him holding up the bill with the caption "You're welcome". Russell collected a drive through penalty for cutting the chicane to get ahead of Albon, frustrated at being unable to pass any other way. "The strategy was for Kimi (Antonelli) and I to help each other out and gain positions throughout the race. Unfortunately, Williams and Racing Bulls opted for the same strategy, and it left us without any real options," he said. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff revealed that Williams principal James Vowles, who used to work with him, had texted to apologise. "I'm sorry. We had no choice given what happened ahead'," said Vowles in the message, read out by Wolff. "I answered 'we know'," said the Austrian. "James is one of my guys, and I don't want to sound patronising, because he's making a career as a team principal, and he's doing really well," he added. Racing Bulls had Isack Hadjar finish sixth and Liam Lawson eighth after the New Zealander held up traffic and allowed his French teammate to build up a lead without fear of being overtaken.
The Drive
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Williams' Battle for F1 Imola Podium Proves Alex Albon Was Right All Along
The latest car news, reviews, and features. This time last year, Alex Albon dragged his royal blue Williams Formula 1 car two laps behind the rest of the field in the heart of Northern Italy. A faulty pit stop and wheel nut issue dashed any dreams for a points-paying finishing position, as the Thai-British driver retired to the garages. During yesterday's virtual safety car-riddled Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, however, Albon had a different outcome. He crossed the checkered flag in fifth. Just shy of a podium, Albon's on-track tango with two Rosso Corsa machines in Ferrari's capital is a welcome turn of pace for the back-of-the-pack team. It also tells a story Albon has been trying to convince F1 fans of all along: Williams' future is bright. Getty RUDY CAREZZEVOLI When the then-25-year-old joined Williams for the 2022 season, the seat that allowed Albon to remain in the sport after Red Bull dropped him came with some caveats—namely, driving under a team emblem that wouldn't be winning races anytime soon. But Albon and others at Williams seemed to see something far off in the distance that no one else could. Williams Grand Prix Engineering was born in 1978 and had success early on, winning its first race the following year at home in England. By the turn of the decade, both a World Drivers' and a World Constructors' Championship title sat in the team's headquarters. Williams did it again in 1992, thanks to Nigel Mansell, and again in 1993 with Alain Prost. The '90s held success for the team with five team titles and four driver championship trophies, marred by Ayrton Senna's death in a Williams car while competing in Imola in 1994. Getty Alessio Morgese On Sunday, Albon tested his driving prowess against the best of the best: Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton and his teammate Charles Leclerc, who finished in a respective fourth and sixth place. As the No. 23 Williams went wheel-to-wheel with Leclerc's Ferrari, it was a poetic reminder of the rivalry that caused Williams to drop off in the early 2000s. Since the start of the century, the team has been chasing a return to championship form that has seemed increasingly unlikely. That is, until now. When Carlos Sainz left Ferrari at the end of 2024 to make room for Hamilton, Williams was regarded as a poor, laughable choice. After all, the Spaniard had been the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023. He ranked fifth in last year's driver standings on the heels of this season's championship leader, Oscar Piastri, and fought for the constructors' title alongside then-teammate Leclerc. Getty LUCA BRUNO Williams, in comparison, had finished ninth in 2024 and failed to complete 20 out of 24 races last year, largely due to crashes and the Excel Spreadsheet From Hell. Albon's performance in Imola in 2024, paired with then-teammate Logan Sargeant's qualifying DNF, represented just one stroke of bad luck in a series of unfortunate race weekends that plagued the British team in recent history. Sainz's signing with Williams buoyed a fresh surge of energy that team principal James Vowles brought in 2023. Armed with two talented drivers, a clear vision forward, and an injection of capital, Williams hasn't looked as laughable after starting the 2025 season with 10 top-10 finishes. Getty Jayce Illman 'The journey will take time, but I am confident we are building the right team to move forward and achieve great things in the years to come,' Albon said in May after extending his contract. While the team is inching rather than speeding toward catching the McLarens and Max Verstappen's Red Bull up front—Albon's place among the top five on Sunday still had him trailing nearly 20 seconds behind race leader and winner Verstappen. Perhaps, Williams' anticipation of a 'long-term' podium project might be fast-tracked—though, it could also be too soon to tell. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix gave Albon a taste before yanking the third-place trophy away when he failed to overtake both Ferraris and was pushed into the gravel by Leclerc before claiming the position back. Getty Mark Sutton – Formula 1 'It's weird, isn't it? On the pure race [outlook] we were fighting for P3, P4,' Albon said post-race. 'Back-to-back P5s and [we're] coming away today a bit disappointed, which is a bit strange to say…I was kind of licking my lips! I thought I could even get Oscar up in front as well.' Sainz finished in eighth and sits in 11th in the standings, 19 points behind Albon as he adapts to the new car. It is more of a matter of when, rather than if, Williams scores its first podium in five years. What commentators are calling an inevitability, Albon already knew to be true a few years ago. 'I'm ready. I'm ready to win races, to fight for a championship,' Albon said at the end of the 2023 F1 season. Sainz, the anticipated superstar tasked with bringing a back-of-the-grid team to title-contending status, might not be the one holding the trophy. Got a tip? Email us at tips@ Olivia Hicks is a Brooklyn-based sports and environmental journalist specializing in the business, politics and culture behind Formula 1 for NPR and . Over a race weekend, you can find her reporting live for The Independent . She is The Drive 's F1 correspondent for the 2025 season.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- New York Times
Is Williams F1's ‘best of the rest' in 2025? Alex Albon's Imola drive says yes
Alex Albon dared to dream. As the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix entered the final stages, with just a third of the race distance to go, the Williams driver was running among the top teams, sitting 12.7 seconds behind second-place Lando Norris by lap 40. He hadn't been on a Formula One podium in five years, his last time finishing among the top three happening at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix with Red Bull. Advertisement Oscar Piastri passed him on that lap, but Albon soon found himself scrapping with the Ferraris, taking advantage of some luck and strategy but showing his skill when it counted. He eventually brought home his second consecutive fifth-place finish, furthering his early case to be considered F1's driver of the year. Across the seven race weekends, the 29-year-old has secured 40 points and only finished outside the top 10 once (his 12th-place finish in Bahrain). He sits only eight points off seventh-placed Kimi Antonelli in the driver standings. And, largely thanks to Albon's consistent points finishes, Williams has a 31-point lead on sixth-place Haas for the 'best of the rest' battle. It's a monumental moment for a team undergoing a lengthy rebuilding process, as team principal James Vowles has always preached the long-term focus of the team since taking the helm in 2023. But considering Williams has already stopped development on its 2025 car and shifted its focus to next year, when the regulations change, these early gains are crucial. Millions of dollars in end-of-season prize money separate each Constructors' Championship position, and finishing fifth would be a night-and-day difference to its ninth place in 2024. Even with Albon's impressive drive Sunday, there is a sense of 'What if?' regarding how the race shook out, creating an interesting scenario where a fifth-place finish for a midfield team may evoke mixed emotions. But it shows how far Williams has come and will go. In the final year of F1's current regulations, it has developed a car that can compete on merit against the Ferrari. 'This car is not going to be developed. The car that we have is good enough to be on par with Mercedes and Ferrari at some circuits, like we saw in Miami and here,' Albon's teammate Carlos Sainz said. 'It's not good enough for other circuits — like, Barcelona (at the end of the month), you will see we will not be in the fight. Who knows in Monaco (next weekend). We will see.' Imola is known as a difficult circuit to overtake on. The layout is rather narrow, and building up the speed necessary to pass a car can be difficult because of the challenging corners. Qualifying and track position therefore become even more important, making Saturday a big part of the battle. To say Williams' qualifying was strong may be an understatement. Sainz set the fastest lap in Q2, but Vowles noted in the team's recap that they knew it would be temporary. While Sainz had a compromised out-lap in Q3 and Albon struggled to feel comfortable with the car, they qualified sixth and seventh, after the Ferrari duo of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, plus Mercedes' Antonelli, exited in Q2. Advertisement On Sunday, the Williams duo made a clean start and held their starting positions. Albon patiently waited to see how the race would unfold, a benefit of starting a bit further back in the top 10. He 'didn't need to push,' he said, and watched as George Russell did just that early on, his tires paying the price. Antonelli's teammate 'kind of backed everyone up a little bit, and I could see all the cars in front sliding around. I was just staying put,' Albon said. 'I knew that, the amount that George was sliding, there were going to be cars in front (that) would have to convert to a two-stop. And so, once they all started to drop in, I thought, 'Okay, maybe I can extend the stint'.' Sainz pitted on Lap 13 while Albon stayed out and caught a lucky break with the virtual safety car (VSC) caused by Esteban Ocon's retirement. Albon, running third, pitted for hard tires on Lap 31. A podium finish seemed a bit of a stretch for a Williams, regardless of Albon's performance, because Piastri was charging back through the grid. Once the McLaren passed Albon, he ran fourth with a comfortable margin over Hamilton — a nine-and-a-half-second gap separating them with 23 laps to go. The pit stops during the safety car triggered by Antonelli meant Albon ran fifth, ahead of Russell, but behind Leclerc. It became a battle of blue versus red once the race restarted, Albon looking for any way past the Ferrari and his significantly older tires. The critical moment came on Lap 60. Leclerc and Albon were side-by-side going into Turn 2, as the latter tried to make a move around the outside. But Albon ended up in the gravel, and Hamilton slipped past when the Williams rejoined the track. The question arose, however, whether Leclerc forced Albon off the track. The Ferrari driver returned the position before the stewards concluded their investigation, avoiding a potential penalty. Advertisement 'I'm not going to say I'm disappointed with P5,' Albon said after the race. 'And honestly, when I look at the battle with Charles, I would have done the same in his position. I don't think he did anything that crazy. It's just someone trying to hold their position.' In hindsight, Albon thought he could have been more patient about attempting an overtake on Leclerc. Both Leclerc's and Piastri's tires were significantly older than Albon's at that point. 'At that point in the race, honestly, I was feeling so good,' Albon said. 'I thought, 'Oscar's up ahead on one side, I can go after him and maybe get a P3'.' Williams finished the race in the top five on pure pace, and Albon battled McLaren and Ferrari on merit. Vowles noted in the team's post-race recap, 'We've been fast all year long and we are progressing relative to some giants; we were running on genuine merit up in a podium position.' While Albon may have lucked out with the VSC, other factors contributed to that finish. His strong opening stint saw him be the only driver outside the top teams able to extend the medium tire. The car has also been improving compared to previous years, and Albon commented on the better balance: 'There's clearly a downforce game, but there's also a drivability balance game, which has made it easier to drive better, gives you more confidence. You're less limited in terms of setup, what you can do with a car.' Williams used to be in a situation where certain tracks would suit its car better, so there was an idea of where it could or could not perform, which Sainz feels is still the case judging from the quotes earlier in this article. But F1 has traveled to a variety of circuits over the past seven race weekends, and it has been able to put together strong performances, Albon bringing points home at all but one. And while Sainz only has 11 points to his name, it's worth remembering that he is still adjusting to a new team, which means Williams is also still adjusting to him. Case in point, the Spaniard touched on how they need to improve their communication. Advertisement 'I've always told the team again, this is the year to do these mistakes,' Sainz said. 'At the same time, it's time to make a step.' He elaborated on that point: 'Williams is not fighting for any world championships, but I do believe Williams has the potential to fight for race wins and championships in the future.' And Sainz isn't wrong. The team is making steps with its car and the infrastructure. And it has a strong driver lineup in he and Albon. While teams are catching up as they bring upgrades, like this weekend in Imola, Williams is 'still holding our own,' Albon said. In what is the team's strongest season since 2017, it doesn't feel like a matter of if Williams will be back, but when. Additional reporting: Luke Smith
