Alexander Albon was a late and surprise addition to the 2019 Formula 1 grid, the 22-year-old getting the nod from Helmut Marko to join Toro Rosso, but despite never having driven an F1 car he knows exactly what he has to do when he sinks into the cockpit.
When asked by Formule1.nl what he felt would be his toughest challenge in his rookie season, the Thai driver replied, "Mainly that I have to get up to speed immediately."
"We have four days to test in Barcelona and I have never driven a Formula 1 car before. So not much time before Melbourne and, of course, these cars are very different from Formula 2, they are a lot faster. So it's mainly an issue where I can get faster, get to know the car and even just learning the steering wheel."
Albon, like most drivers of this generation, arrives in Formula 1 with little or no testing as in his case, in contrast to drivers like Fernando Alonso and even Lewis Hamilton arrived on the scene with huge F1 testing mileage, which was unrestricted until 2007 when the first limit of 30,000km per team was introduced.
In 2010 a ban on in-season F1 testing came into effect, before teams and rule-makers agreed on the current scenario of two four days stints a week apart before the season, sprinkled with a couple of Young Driver tests and a few more Pirelli days.
Albon's 2019 deal with Toro Rosso was announced by Red Bull a day before the final test in Abu Dhabi in late November, for some reason instead of their new signing they ran Sean Galeal and Daniil Kvyat who returns to the team.
Apart from the lack of vital mileage which is reduced to virtual hot laps in a simulator, hardly a substitute to pounding the tarmac, young drivers like Albon hit the top flight unprepared on several fronts and has to master in little time, he also has to adjust physically to the demands and learn the nuances of driving in the top flight.
Albon explained, "I have increased my training programme. Of course, I try to prepare my neck as much as possible now. It is going to be demanding, so that's where the focus is right now. I have my trainer with me and will try to be in top shape for Melbourne."
His debut at the Australian Grand Prix will be the proverbial dropping of the kid in the deep end and he either sinks or swims.
Indications are that the Albon is a quick learner whose late-season surge in the 2018 Formula 2 Championship caught the attention of Red Bull. He finished third behind Williams bound champion George Russell and McLaren's Lando Norris.
Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said of Albon, “Alexander had an impressive Formula 2 season in 2018. He won four races and finished the Championship third. The way he is able to overtake many of his rivals in the races shows that he is ready and matured to race in Formula 1."
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