George Russell commends ‘huge progress’ at Williams after Alex Albon’s impressive qualifying at the Dutch GP

Alex Albon's remarkable P4 qualifying at Dutch GP garners praise from George Russell.

George Russell and Alex Albon (Image via Imago)

During Dutch GP’s qualifying, Alex Albon impressed by driving his Williams to P4, intermittently topping the time charts. His former F2 rival and friend, George Russell, secured P3. Russell lauded ex-Mercedes engineer James Vowles for aiding Albon’s progress in the post-qualifying press conference. Their unique journey adds anticipation as they share the Sunday race’s second row.

George Russell expressed his satisfaction, noting that he was genuinely pleased to witness Alex Albon’s strong showing. He emphasized the significance of boosted confidence in driving performance. Russell acknowledged the substantial strides being made by Williams and attributed much of it to the positive influence of James Vowles.

“I’m really pleased to see [Albon] up there and it goes to show when you get your confidence how that can really transform the performance. Williams is making a huge amount of progress at the moment and I think James Vowles is having a really positive impact there,” George Russell stated, according to Autosport.

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James Vowles was a key figure at Mercedes for more than ten years, even as Motorsport Strategy Director till 2022. He took the reins as Williams’ team principal in 2023, succeeding Jost Capito. His leadership is making a noticeable difference, showing his knack for guiding the team effectively.

Also read: Alex Albon ecstatic after scoring second-row start to Dutch GP for Williams, claims Zandvoort is a ‘confidence circuit’

George Russell congratulates his former team on their newfound success

George Russell and Alex Albon (Image credit: Motorsport.com)

The Dutch GP weekend isn’t the sole instance of Albon surpassing expectations. Throughout 2023, the Thai-British driver consistently delivered exceptional performances, capturing the attention of numerous teams across the grid due to his standout abilities. Amid Williams’ surge to restore their former glory, George Russell claims Alex Albon is the perfect fit.

George Russell confidently stated that Alex Albon was the right person to support Williams’ resurgence. He further applauded the heightened competitive environment among Formula 1 teams. Thus underscoring the sport’s commitment to offering well-performing individuals the chance to shine.

.@yukitsunoda07 and @alex_albon racing to the Drivers’ Parade pic.twitter.com/e989rjcJbK
— Visa Cash App RB F1 Team (@visacashapprb) August 27, 2023

“I think he’s definitely the best man for the job for what Williams need at the moment for their resurgence. It’s great to see more than just the top teams fighting and that’s what we want in Formula 1, we want everybody to have a chance if they do a good job,” George Russell further continued.

Albon has contributed all of Williams’ 11 points to date. His remarkable performance secured a notable 7th place in Canada and a subsequent 8th place at the British GP. However, it’s important to acknowledge the crucial team support that played a significant role in these accomplishments.