Alexander Albon says he is not focusing as much on limiting track limits in F1 2024 because it is down to car and situations rather than him as much.
Albon had loads of track limits offence in F1 2023, which was down to car’s characteristics and sometimes due to wrong timing especially with the gust of winds. It didn’t cost him too many points per se, but it can’t keep repeating as well.
In 2023, Williams were good at certain tracks and made the most there, but as they go into 2024 or beyond, they will want the car to be more comfortable at all venues and if track limits cost them in those races, it won’t be good for their championship position.
It is not something that Albon is particularly focusing on in 2024 but of course he would like it to be limited in number. “None of the track limits cost us positions, if you want to put it like that,” he said to media. “As much as track limits might be seen as a bad thing and a bad boy kind of behaviour, it’s just part of the game of pushing it to the limit.
“I think the tracks themselves aren’t obviously forgiving for this. Our car was very wind sensitive. That was one of the bigger ones, if you would say, that kind of triggered it. Gusts of winds and little snaps here and there just made it difficult, especially on tracks like Austin, for example.
“Truthfully, it’s probably something that’s not on the top of my agenda to focus on for this year. But at the same time, of course, I’m hoping we’re going to be in more races where track limits will matter because we’re going to be in the points in those races. So let’s see. I’m kind of in line with James in that area.
“We do need to make the car a little bit more driveable. The car was a little bit sketchy, but that’s not entirely the car’s fault. That’s also me just putting it into places where if I did catch a gust of wind, I was going to go into track limits,” summed up Albon, who added on the perception of being an under-rated driver on the F1 grid.
His team boss James Vowles termed him one, but Albon reckons it is not necessarily what teams think. “Not really my job, to be honest, I would say,” he said. “As long as the right people believe in me, James included, that’s all that really matters.
“The kind of media perception, fan perception of rated or not, isn’t always aligned with what teams think. And to be honest with you, teams are the most important ones to impress. So, yeah, I don’t think about it too much. It doesn’t keep me awake at night.”
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