Robson: Albon's calmness spreading around the Williams garage

Alex Albon hasn't enjoyed an easy time in F1 since his debut with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) back in 2019, as he was thrown into the deep end 12 races into career, shifted to Red Bull to replace the underperforming Pierre Gasly, and while he lasted with the team until the end of the 2020 season, he was ultimately replaced by Sergio Perez from 2021 onwards.

After one year on the sidelines, Albon was hired by Williams to replace Mercedes-bound George Russell, and the Thai driver grasped at his second chance in F1 and has been delivering a solid performance with them so far.

Asked to evaluate Albon's 2023 season, Robson said: "He [has] started off very strongly anyway. I think he's a very skillful driver, there's no doubt about that. I think what we have seen over the last year or so is him really develop into a proper team leader.

"I think we're seeing a new element of control and calmness from him; you can feel it spreading around the garage. I think that's really important," he added.

Robson pointed out one incident when Albon's calmness was just what the team needed of him and that was during qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, where he qualified eighth in mixed conditions.

"I think the job that, well, both drivers, but Alex particularly in Q1 in Silverstone," Robson said. "When we were struggling, I think his attitude in the garage when the red flag came out, considering he was last at the time, I think was really good, and exactly what you'd expect of a confident, but sensible, professional driver.

"I think if he'd got himself really concerned and stressed that would have spread quite quickly through the garage and it would have been tough and, instead, he was completely calm. He knew he had it under control.

"We went out and queued for six or seven minutes or whatever it was, and he got the lap in and ultimately that's what led to the result on Sunday.

“So that's where you really see him evolving and that, as I say that real team leadership now; he knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it," he concluded.

Albon ultimately finished the British Grand Prix in eighth, and has single handedly scored Williams' 11 points so far in 2023.