The reputation of Alex Albon, considered one of the best Formula 1 drivers, could suffer a setback in 2025.
This is the opinion of Dani Juncadella, the new simulator driver for the Aston Martin team. At 33, Juncadella believes Albon is preparing for a potentially difficult season while Carlos Sainz will be his teammate at Williams.
“I've always been a little more critical of Albon than most people,” he said on the Duralavita podcast.
“I shared his year in DTM, which was particularly difficult for him because Liam Lawson greatly outperformed him. You could even sense that he didn't want to be there. »
Born in the United Kingdom and representing Thailand, Albon, 28, entered the German Touring Car Championship in 2021 after losing his seat at Red Bull Racing at the end of 2020.
He then made his return to F1 with Williams in 2022.
According to Juncadella: “Maybe his mind was all on Formula 1, and he didn't even want to be there (in DTM) those weekends. »
“Unfortunately, I now have a rather negative image of Albon, based on my personal experience with him and what I observed from the outside. »
-“I don't like the term undervalued, but I've always kind of seen it that way mentally. I can't wait to see what happens this year with Sainz alongside him – a driver who will tend to put him under pressure and who has an impressive track record. »
“This year will tell us a lot,” added Juncadella.
Indeed, since his return to F1 with Williams, Albon has had teammates Nicholas Latifi, Logan Sargeant, and rookies like Nyck de Vries and Franco Colapinto.
Jacques Villeneuve, world champion in 1997, admits that he is also impatient to see the Sainz-Albon duo on the track this season.
“I'm curious to see Sainz with Williams,” said the Canadian. “Its first tests were impressive, because the car was faster than ever. He always knew how to create a good team dynamic wherever he went. »
“In a team that really needs it, let's see what the impact will be. This could be an incredible leap forward, which would be the biggest surprise of the year. »
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