Formula 1 Dutch GP
Alex Albon on why Williams cannot afford team-mate secrets in F1
Alex Albon has explained why he and Williams team-mate Carlos Sainz openly share set-up information
Lydia Mee
Published: Aug 28, 2026, 9:00 AM
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Alexander Albon, Williams, Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Lintao Zhang / LAT Images via Getty Images
Alex Albon has shed light on his partnership with Williams team-mate Carlos Sainz, explaining why the pair share set-up information rather than keep secrets on their respective sides of the garage.
It has been a challenging 2026 Formula 1 season for the Grove outfit. The team currently sits ninth in the constructors' championship with 11 points, while Sainz and Albon are 16th and 17th in the drivers' standings with six and five points, respectively.
Despite the natural rivalry that exists between team-mates, Albon insists that the current performance limitations of the Williams car mean that collaborating is essential.
During an appearance on The Fast And The Curious podcast following the Dutch Grand Prix, Albon detailed how drivers in other teams often withhold data to gain an edge, but that such tactics would be counterproductive at Williams.
"What happens in some teams, and I know this, is that you will find something on your car, but it won't be something the other car can't find," Albon explained. "It could be a line into a corner, it could be a gear choice, it could be a set-up direction, it could be the way that we implement the electronic system into the car.
"You could find something good, but you just won't mention it. You can keep it quiet to your side of the garage.
Carlos Sainz, Williams, Alexander Albon, Williams
Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 / Getty Images
"Realistically, for us, at least I don't do it, so maybe Carlos does it, I don't know," he laughed. "But because of the limitations of our car, we kind of work together on it.
"It's almost like we both have the same feedback with the same problems, and then we can split the cars," he said. "One car might go, 'Yes, this is working,' so the other car joins onto that. Sometimes it's like, 'Oh, this works, and this works, so we'll take a bit of both.' You kind of chop and change sometimes.
"Oh, this is the wrong way, so now the other car's gone the other way, so now it's that way. But there is a balance.
"I remember that happened a lot more when you have two rookie drivers and you're kind of fighting for the same [position]. You can imagine it becomes a little bit more [elbows out]," Albon added.
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