Albon: 'Norris only had grip in impossible moments'

F1 News

Albon: 'Fighting Williams is always frustrating in a McLaren'
4 September 2023 at 14:56
Last update 4 September 2023 at 15:55
  • Sam Godber

The Italian Grand Prix showed a great battle for P7. Williams' Alexander Albon could at least enjoy it, with a lesser pace he still managed to keep McLaren driver Lando Norris behind him for lots of laps. Albon explains how he managed it.

Norris only had grip at impossible moments

Albon still scored all 21 points for Williams and knows how to squeeze out the maximum every F1 weekend. Even at the Monza circuit, where the team was thought to be fast beforehand, Albon squeezed everything out. The Briton started from P6 after a great qualifying session and then managed to hold off Norris in the race with badly worn tyres for P7.

Viaplay spoke to Albon after the race. Albon: "It wasn't like Canada where you can just do a clean race. You had to defend every lap into turn one. It was just perfect. The difference in downforce between the McLaren and the Williams was always to a place where Lando could never really get on the inside. So I was very happy."

Attacking Williams in a McLaren is always frustrating

After the race, the two Brits joined F1TV's post-race review on the paddock. There, Norris said he was very frustrated with Albon. The McLaren driver said it with a laugh, but Albon can imagine he meant it.

Albon: "I think that McLaren is always the slowest on the straights and we are the fastest on the straights. So when we come together in the race, normally it's very frustrating for them and good for us. But the punishment for us is high degradation. And you saw it today, we were struggling for race pace, but we made it work."