Alex Albon: on the cusp of history with Williams
About this episode
Alex Albon talks Williams milestones and why he’s staying on “the cusp of history,” including becoming the driver with the most Williams race starts and hitting race number 96 at Spain. He explains how Williams reset expectations after a tough new-era start, shifting culture and confidence, and how development timing, weight, and upgrade cadence matter under the budget cap. Off-track, he’s in Monaco with fiancé Lily competing in the US Open, and they joke about Spain and family moments in the garage.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson, Alex talks about what that milestone means to him and how he’s changed, as a driver and as a person, since joining the team in 2022.
Alex also tells Tom why Williams have had a difficult start to the new era of Formula 1 and how that setback has changed their targets of competing for podiums, race wins and championships.
You’ll also hear about Alex’s relationship with teammate Carlos Sainz and how he views the success achieved by the likes of Lando Norris and George Russell, having raced against them in junior categories.
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weight limit
"And if you're on the weight limit, is the performance there? Is P5 in the constructors' championship still doable? We have a calculation of where we know our car would be if it was on the weight limit."
F1 cars have to be at least a certain weight. Teams try to get as close to that limit as possible so the car is light and quick, but they still have to follow the rules.
In Formula 1, there’s a minimum car weight rule (the “weight limit”). Teams can’t just build a lighter car to gain performance; instead they manage how much mass they carry and where it’s placed to maximize speed and balance.
constructors' championship
"Is P5 in the constructors' championship still doable? We have a calculation of where we know our car would be if it was on the weight limit. That's not to say that everyone is on the weight limit."
The Constructors’ Championship is the season-long points battle between teams, based on the combined results of both cars. Finishing higher (like P5) matters because it reflects overall team performance and affects prestige and financial outcomes.
upgrades
"The good thing is you've seen maybe the last few races an uptick in performance from the team and there are some upgrades happening on the car, but a lot of that is the weight getting stripped out."
Upgrades are improvements teams add to the car during the season. The goal is to make it faster or handle better than before.
In F1, “upgrades” are new or revised parts and aerodynamic/engineering changes brought to the car to improve lap time. They can include things like bodywork updates, airflow changes, and other performance hardware.
ground-told moment
"And how much of a setback was the ground-told moment that you had in Montreal? Because it actually cost a lot of money, the amount of damage that was done. That was an engine gearbox."
This sounds like a big crash or accident that damaged the car. In F1, that can be very costly because you often have to replace expensive, race-specific parts.
This appears to refer to a major on-track incident (“ground-told moment”) that caused significant damage. In F1, crashes can be extremely expensive because they destroy specialized parts and require extensive repairs and replacements.
engine gearbox
"Because it actually cost a lot of money, the amount of damage that was done. That was an engine gearbox. I've heard like a million dollars being floated around in the budget cap era."
That phrase points to the car’s power system—how the engine’s power gets sent through the transmission/gearbox. If that gets damaged, the car can’t perform normally and repairs are major.
An “engine gearbox” refers to the powertrain components that work together to transmit engine power to the wheels. In modern F1 cars, damage to this area can be especially disruptive because it’s tightly packaged and highly specialized.
budget cap era
"I've heard like a million dollars being floated around in the budget cap era. Budget cap era is maybe quite overlooked in terms of didn't matter too much if you banged a wheel or two, lost a front wing or two previously and now,"
F1 now has a spending limit for teams. If you crash and have to replace expensive parts, that uses up budget that could have gone toward making the car faster.
The “budget cap era” refers to Formula 1’s cost-control system where teams have a maximum spending limit for operations and development. It changes how teams think about crash damage and repairs because money spent on broken parts can’t be spent on performance upgrades.
front wing
"Budget cap era is maybe quite overlooked in terms of didn't matter too much if you banged a wheel or two, lost a front wing or two previously and now, especially with being the first year of this regulation change,"
The front wing is the car’s front aerodynamic fin. If it gets damaged or falls off, the car can lose grip and become harder to drive fast.
The front wing is a key aerodynamic element at the front of an F1 car that helps generate downforce and steer airflow. Losing or damaging it can quickly reduce grip and performance, which is why it’s often mentioned in crash cost discussions.
regulation change
"lost a front wing or two previously and now, especially with being the first year of this regulation change, how much money that takes to invest in the car."
A regulation change means the rules for what F1 cars can be like have been updated. When it’s the first year, teams often have to spend a lot to redesign the car to match the new rules.
A “regulation change” in F1 means the sport has updated technical rules that affect car design and performance. The first year of a new rule set is often especially costly because teams must redesign major systems to comply and to exploit the new limits.
driver input
"I say there's been a huge amount of driver input back to the factory and yeah, just between us trying to understand how to make this car go faster."
Driver input is the feedback drivers give to the team about how the car feels and behaves—often translated into actionable setup changes. In F1, that feedback is a key part of development because it connects on-track sensations to engineering adjustments.
FP1
"And then this year, being on that back foot, there's been even more focus... even for example, FP1s where we can do completely different things across cars to focus on different philosophies and see if things can work out."
FP1 is the first practice session on race weekend. It’s when teams experiment and try different settings to learn how the car behaves before qualifying and the race.
FP1 means the first free practice session of a Grand Prix weekend. Teams use it to test different setups and learn the car’s behavior, often with different “runs” or approaches between the two drivers.
telemetry
"And Carlos as a teammate, has he made you a better driver? Do you look at his data, his telemetry and say, OK, I'll try that."
Telemetry is the car’s live data log from sensors. It helps the team and driver see what the car is doing and why, so they can adjust setup and driving for the next run.
In Formula 1, telemetry is the stream of sensor data from the car (like speeds, throttle/brake inputs, temperatures, and suspension behavior) sent back to the team. Drivers and engineers use it to compare what happened on track and decide what to change for the next session.
new regulations
"I think he's taken to these new regulations well as well, so it's been helpful for me to see his data."
In F1, “new regulations” means the rules for what cars are allowed to do have changed. That can force teams to redesign parts and drivers to change how they drive and set up the car.
“New regulations” in F1 refers to rule changes that affect car design and performance—such as technical limits, aerodynamic rules, and/or engine-related constraints. When regulations shift, teams and drivers often need to relearn car behavior and adjust development priorities.
save 80 grams of weight high up in the car
"So like Nico Rosbo 2016 didn't paint his helmet because he was going to save 80 grams of weight high up in the car."
Racers try to cut even tiny amounts of weight because it can help the car move and handle better. Weight that’s higher in the car is usually worse for cornering because it makes the car feel like it wants to tip more.
In racing, shaving small amounts of mass can matter because it affects how quickly the car accelerates, changes direction, and how stable it feels. “High up” weight is especially important because it raises the car’s center of gravity, which can worsen roll behavior in corners.
rallying up in Seattle
"I did some rallying up in Seattle the other day, driving random cars around Sonoma,"
He’s talking about driving in a different kind of motorsport—more like rallying than track racing. That means you have to change how you steer and use the throttle and brakes.
This is about switching disciplines—going from circuit racing into rally-style driving. Different surfaces and car dynamics force drivers to adapt their braking, throttle, and steering inputs.
battery
"So there's this thing in the back, which is the battery that you can manipulate."
The battery in an F1 car isn’t just for starting—it’s used to store and release energy during the race. Drivers and engineers manage it so the car has the right power at the right moments.
In modern F1, the battery is part of the car’s energy system and can be managed to influence how much electrical energy is available. When Albon says you can “manipulate” it, he’s referring to controlling energy deployment so the car behaves the way you want while you’re driving.
Monaco
"For example, I just did the sim prep for Monaco in the net."
Monaco is a famous F1 street track with very tight turns and little room for mistakes. It often feels very different from other circuits, so drivers have to adjust their driving style.
Monaco refers to the Circuit de Monaco, a street circuit known for tight corners, short straights, and heavy emphasis on driver precision. Because it’s so different from other tracks, the driving feel and energy/power usage can require a distinct approach.
Barcelona
"I moved on to do Barcelona."
Barcelona is another major F1 circuit, usually with faster, smoother sections than Monaco. Drivers often have to change how they approach corners and power delivery from one track to the other.
Barcelona refers to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, a track that’s typically more flowing than Monaco with longer corners and higher average speeds. That means the “feel” of braking, cornering, and energy use can change noticeably between the two races.
deployment
"And suddenly all the deployment comes in and you're like, oh yeah, I forgot about this."
In F1, “deployment” refers to how the team releases stored energy (especially from the battery/ERS system) during a lap. Albon’s point is that after a break between races, you have to mentally and physically re-adapt to the specific energy/power strategy for that track.
getting in the zone
"In terms of getting in the zone, is that circuit dependent?"
“Getting in the zone” means when a driver is fully focused and everything starts to feel natural. On different tracks, the car and corners demand different timing, so it can take a different mental setup to reach that state.
“Getting in the zone” is a driver mindset where focus and timing become automatic, letting them execute consistently at their best. In F1, it’s often discussed as being track-dependent because different circuits demand different braking points, corner rhythms, and power/energy usage.
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