Albon expects British skirmish: 'We are fighting those teams'

After years of being in deep trouble, Williams is making great strides in 2023. Italy's Monza circuit is a track that suits the Williams car well and the team looks set to score points here. Driver Alexander Albon knows he is up against McLaren and Aston Martin.

McLaren and Aston Martin did not yet show the pace on Friday and Saturday to seriously fight for podium spots, but the fact that Williams is a serious contender for the two British teams is good news for the Grove-based team. After all, McLaren and Aston Martin are teams that can regularly be found at the forefront. Albon estimated his chances after qualifying at Monza.

Albon: "I think some people did [save tyres]. So I think our pace was a little bit better than it really was in Q1. But we're having a good car. Our race pace is maybe not quite as strong as our qualifying pace. Our race tomorrow is with McLaren and Aston, if we can keep them behind."

Last year, it was Nyck de Vries who scored well with his foray into the Williams, earning his F1 seat for 2023. Albon was not there then, but knows that the Italian GP weekend is an important race for the team. Albon: "Honestly, when you come to this weekend, there's a little bit of expectation. I think from the whole team, we feel a bit of pressure. It's a weekend where we know we need to perform."