Breaking news
Formula 1 Belgian GP
Albon had to "rewire brain" to drive Red Bull car
Alex Albon says a very different driving style required for the Red Bull has forced him to "rewire his brain" to get the most out of his new car.
Jonathan Noble
Published: Aug 30, 2019, 3:45 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
The Thai driver, who has been promoted to the Red Bull team in place of Pierre Gasly, nearly matched teammate Max Verstappen in first practice for the Belgian GP but was three tenths adrift in the second session.
But as he got to grips with the RB15 for the first time, Albon said that it felt like he was starting over again in learning about F1 cars because it required a totally different approach compared to the Toro Rosso he raced in the first half of the year.
"It's a different driving style that you have in Toro Rosso," said Albon. "You spend six months driving that way and you come to the Red Bull car and it is kind of remembering what other cars are like.
"You have to rewire your brain, start from the beginning and go again. It is not one thing in particular."
He added: "I felt a bit more comfortable in FP1 than FP2, and I am still trying to understand the car. It is very different to the Toro Rosso so it is quite difficult in some respects and better in other respects."
Albon was clear, however, that he had hit the ground running in terms of working with the team and feeling settled in.
"I feel at home with the guys, they've been nice to me," he said. "It is very different. I've felt that already.
"We did a bit of sim [work] on Wednesday and could tell it's going to take some time to get used to it. Once you're on track with the helmet you have a bit more G forces and feel the car a bit better. It's just baby steps really."
Albon is heading into the Belgium weekend knowing that he will start from the back of the grid thanks to an engine change penalty.
While that takes some pressure off in terms of him needing to deliver in qualifying, he says he also would have liked the opportunity to know just how quick he could go.
"I would still have liked to have qualified properly and see where I'd have gone," he said.
"The focus isn't on short-run pace, it's trying to set up the car for Sunday. So there is a more chilled out atmosphere, but I still want to do a good job on Sunday."
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Verstappen expects to fight Mercedes, but not Ferrari, at Spa
Next article Perez signs new three-year F1 deal with Racing Point
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jonathan Noble
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
Formula 1
Formula 1
Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Formula 1
Formula 1
The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
Formula 1
Formula 1
Australian GP
Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress
More from
Alex Albon
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Fernando Alonso blasts driving standards of bottom half of F1 grid
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
Formula 1
Formula 1
Williams has better cooling vests than anyone – Alex Albon
More from
Red Bull Racing
Why Aston Martin and Red Bull were asked about an unlikely F1 engine partnership
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
3 h
Why Aston Martin and Red Bull were asked about an unlikely F1 engine partnership
Red Bull reveals when 'silly' problems affecting Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar can be fixed
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Red Bull reveals when 'silly' problems affecting Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar can be fixed
Latest news
Oliver Bearman explains why Haas’ 2026 F1 car is ‘hitting its ceiling’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
18 min
Oliver Bearman explains why Haas’ 2026 F1 car is ‘hitting its ceiling’
Toprak Razgatlioglu going through a "difficult time" after shoulder surgery
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP
Malaysian GP
1 h
Toprak Razgatlioglu going through a "difficult time" after shoulder surgery
Yet another DNF for Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas: ‘Sometimes we don’t quite understand it’
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
1 h
Yet another DNF for Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas: ‘Sometimes we don’t quite understand it’
Diogo Moreira: “From what we saw in the Austria test, Honda could fight for MotoGP title next year”
MotoGP
MGP MotoGP 2 h
Diogo Moreira: “From what we saw in the Austria test, Honda could fight for MotoGP title next year”
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe