Despite the action at the Belgian Grand Prix, Alex Albon’s race was marked by frustration as tyre strategy played a crucial role in determining his result. Starting the race with high hopes, Albon found himself grappling with the limitations of his tyre allocation, which ultimately impacted his performance.
From the outset, Albon was active on the track, moving up positions and engaging in several battles. He made an early pit stop on lap 9 to switch to medium tyres, potentially aiming for an undercut. However, this decision was part of a broader strategic challenge that defined his race.
When asked if he was ever close to scoring points, Albon reflected on how the race unfolded.
“We looked further away than I think we actually were. I think if we had two sets of hards, it would have been a different race,” he explained.
“The ones who put on the hard on the second stint realised how good it was and just stayed out. The ones who didn’t have a hard had to use it on the final stint, like myself and Daniel.”
“We only found out how good it was until it was too late and that was our race. Yeah, frustrating.”
Despite a promising start, Albon felt there was little more he could have done.
“I think we had a good start and I think we made our race as good as we could have. I don’t think there’s anything we really could have done so differently. I was happy, just missing a tenth to that midfield fight and that’s it really.”
The limitations of his car’s development were also a point of contention. “There’s five fields and there’s also had one front wing upgrade this year so far, that’s it,” Albon noted.
“Everyone else is on maybe number three, number four. Ours is coming. I’m looking forward to when it arrives but for now it’s just scrapping. I think we’re putting our car in good positions to get the challenge to score points. We haven’t got that pace just to execute some of the races that we’ve done.”
Albon’s reflections highlighted the misstep regarding tyre choices. “I think if I put the hards on the second stint, I think I could have survived the race. I don’t know for sure, but I think you could have.”
In the latter part of the race, Albon continued to push, but the limitations of his earlier tyre strategy became increasingly apparent. His final stint on hard tyres allowed him to gain some ground, but by then, the advantage of this compound had already benefited others who had switched earlier. Albon finished the race in twelfth.
