Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto have been front and centre of F1 news in recent days. This abrupt Williams driver swap will surely remain a talking point for the foreseeable future. That said, it is also worth analysing the FW46’s improved pace, as Alex Albon targets points in his updated package.
Albon targets points with latest updates
Upgrades give Williams hope
Alex Albon consistently fought for points last year, eventually leading Williams to seventh place in the standings.
Unfortunately for the 27-year-old, the Grove-based team’s performance has declined in 2024.
A series of production delays have prevented Williams from bringing updates to the car sooner.
James Vowles (team principal) spoke candidly about this in pre-season, emphasising that short-term sacrifices were being made for long-term gain.
Still, there is no denying the team’s results have been underwhelming in 2024.
With upgrades to the FW26 showing signs of promise last weekend, Albon is optimistic heading into Monza:
“Reflecting on Zandvoort, it was a tough weekend.
“It’s vital that, as a team, we address the processes that led to the disqualification – while acknowledging the silver lining that the car was competitive.
“We have historically had a fast car in Monza, so I hope we can achieve a strong result and score some points.”
Albon to lead as Colapinto adjusts
The Italian GP has traditionally been a strong circuit for Williams, at least in recent times.
Albon finished 7th at Monza last year, marking his best result of the season alongside the Canadian GP.
As Franco Colapinto adjusts to F1 and makes his debut, Albon will be under even more pressure to lead the team.
Of course, this is not to say that Colapinto cannot score points.
His junior career is very impressive, and he already has significant mileage in F1 machinery from tests and FP1 sessions.
Moreover, as Nyck de Vries showed in 2022 when he finished 9th for Williams, Monza is one of the easier circuits for a rookie to adapt to.
This leaves Williams in a position where, while acknowledging the challenge, they can be optimistic about their chances.
