Alex Albon may have done ‘critical’ damage to his race weekend by crashing in practice ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok says.
Albon had an accident in the first practice session in Melbourne that prevented him from running in FP2.
And speaking live on Sky F1, Chandhok explained why it could be a particularly costly shunt.
With 20 minutes of FP1 remaining, Albon lost the rear of his Williams car on the exit of turn six and collided with the barriers.
He broke his right-front suspension on impact before sliding across the circuit and hitting the opposite wall with his rear left.
The incident brought out a red flag, and the damage was too severe for the Thai driver to return in the evening session.
That meant teammate Logan Sargeant was the sole Williams in action.
Albon escaped injuries in the crash, which came at a similar point to a race-ending error in 2023.
Karun Chandhok says Alex Albon has suffered a ‘massive blow’
While Chandhok thinks Albon can cope with missing a third of FP1, he stressed the vital importance of FP2.
Williams may have to adjust their run plan to ensure that the 27-year-old can get some high-fuel laps in before the race.
The only consolation for the Grove outfit is that the final practice session, should the car be repaired, will be more representative at this event.
Chandhok said: “It is a massive blow. Every lap you run, especially as the circuit gets cleaner, is going to be helpful.
“He’s not going to really miss the time lost in FP1, but missing out on FP2 will be critical.
“That’s where they do their long run preparation before the Grand Prix.
“Tomorrow really is about qualifying prep, so they’ll have to change their run plan.
“The good thing for them is that, unlike the previous two races that were night races, that isn’t the case here, so actually FP3 will be more relevant track conditions.”
Albon may have hurt chances of Red Bull or Mercedes seat
While FP2 isn’t a decisive session on paper, Albon’s mistake could have lasting consequences.
And he won’t have impressed onlookers at Mercedes or Red Bull amid rumours around his future.
It emerged this week that the Bulls’ team principal Christian Horner has earmarked him as a replacement for Max Verstappen should the world champion leave.
Verstappen is a target for Aston Martin and Mercedes ahead of major regulation changes in 2026.
Albon has also refused to rule out a move to the Silver Arrows, with Lewis Hamilton heading to Ferrari for next year.
Chandhok’s colleague Natalie Pinkham thinks he’s ‘chomping at the bit’ to race in a faster car after Williams finished seventh in last year’s championship.
But he will have to consistently deliver this year if he’s to receive an offer in an intensely competitive driver market.
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