Sky Sports F1 pundit Anthony Davidson ‘can sympathise’ with two Formula 1 drivers at the Japanese Grand Prix after what he saw from Alex Albon of Williams in qualifying.
The travelling circus of Formula 1 has returned to the Land of the Rising Sun only six months on from its previous visit this week. Suzuka staged the 2023 Japanese GP in September but has welcomed the pinnacle of motorsport for its earliest-ever race on the calendar this year.
Suzuka was not a happy hunting ground for Williams in 2023 as the Grove squad endured a double DNF. The team retired Logan Sargeant on Lap 22 and then also Albon on Lap 26 due to damage from separate collisions with Valtteri Bottas during the early stages of the meet.
Alex Albon repeatedly ‘complained’ about his Williams at the Japanese GP
The 2024 Japanese GP was hardly instilling Albon with much confidence in the Williams car, either, during practice. Davidson noted during qualifying that the 28-year-old bemoaned his FW46 after FP3 after struggling with rear-end stability en route to setting the 11th-best lap.
READ MORE: Williams driver Alex Albon’s life outside F1 from net worth, girlfriend to parents
Albon posted a 1:30.533 in FP3, with Williams teammate Sargeant the 19th-fastest driver in the final practice session for the Japanese GP with a 1:31.452. Albon was 0.970 seconds off Max Verstappen as the Red Bull racer set the pace ahead of qualifying with his 1:29.563 lap.
Anthony Davidson ‘can sympathise’ with the Williams drivers in qualifying
Unfortunately for Williams, their plight carried into qualifying to leave Davidson feeling sorry for Albon and Sargeant. The former Minardi, BAR and Super Aguri F1 driver could see Albon was still struggling with the rear-end of his FW46 ‘every time’ through the first stages of Q1.
“Alex Albon, complaining in FP3 that he wasn’t confident with the car,” he said on Sky Sports F1 (6/4, 07:04). “He didn’t have a lot of rear-end stability.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
“Every time we went onboard with him, it looked like he was fighting it an awful lot. So, I can sympathise with the two Williams drivers.”
Albon ended Q1 with the 15th-fastest lap time to see one Williams avoid an early exit from qualifying at the Japanese GP. Sargeant could only manage the 19th-fastest time and he will start Sunday’s race from the back row of the grid. He lapped 0.176s slower than Albon’s run.
The post ‘Every time’: Davidson ‘can sympathise’ with two F1 drivers after what he saw at Japanese GP appeared first on F1 Oversteer.