Starting the F1 Dutch GP from 15th on the grid, Williams driver Alex Albon immediately carved his way through the field. Five places were gained on the opening lap alone. The Williams driver then seized every opportunity, overtaking with precision and defending with grit. By the flag, Albon secured a superb fifth place.
Albon gained ten spots it was what expected to be “a very boring” F1 Dutch GP
Albon and Williams went into the F1 Dutch GP with modest expectations. Strategy calculations “had it as a very boring race,” yet his own performance told a different story.
By lap one, he has climbed into the top ten, immediately putting himself in the mix. From there, he combined sharp overtakes with calm defence to make up a further five positions. The collision between Liam Lawson and Carlos Sainz also helped, as well as the one between Charles Leclerc and Kimi Antonelli.
When the chequered flag fell, Albon crossed the line in fifth. A result he called “so very happy,” and one that underlined his consistency in a chaotic race.
“No, definitely not. I think race strategy had it as a very boring race and we were looking about is there anything we could do in this race to do something. Honestly, I think we made our own luck for the most part of it.
“I was P10 by lap one and that put us in contention immediately for a good result. A bit of a strange race, honestly. For Zandvoort, I don’t know, maybe we all got a little bit excited after summer break. On my side, I had good pace. The safety cars didn’t help us, we were on track at the right time. P5 it was, so very happy.”
Rain as an aid to claim P5 in Zandvoort
When drizzle touched the track, Albon welcomed it. He admitted he “wanted rain” and felt confident in those conditions. The light shower never turned into more, but his race pace stayed strong. Albon believed heavier rain might have given him an even bigger chance, yet he was satisfied. Fifth place was still a reward, and as he put it, he was “very happy.”
“I thought that was perfect, I wanted rain. I like them conditions, I always feel like I do well in them. It was going well, I was happy with the race in general. If it rained, I think it would have been even better, but I’m not going to complain, P5, I am very happy.”
Williams as the “second-best midfield team” on track
Albon rated Williams as the “second-best midfield team” over the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. He admitted the Racing Bulls held the edge, pointing to Isack Hadjar’s impressive speed on the hard tyre. Williams could not match that level of performance on the hards, but the car came alive on the soft compounds. That difference shaped much of their race, with Albon maximising the stints where the car was strongest.
In the end, he believed the result reflected their true performance. “We finished where we should have finished,” he said, noting that fifth place was slightly above expectations but still in line with the team’s pace. For Williams, it was another sign of steady progress. For Albon, it was proof that he could consistently fight at the sharp end of the midfield.
“I think we were the second-best midfield team today, so I think the RBs were clearly strong. Even in the race, Isack [Hadjar] had some serious race pace, especially on the hard tyre. We weren’t as competitive on the hard tyre, we were much better on the softer compounds. And we finished where we should have finished. P5 is not where we should have finished, but on the track, in them positions, we were the second best [midfield team].”
First lap and Williams “flexibility” as the key to a strong finish in Zandvoort
Albon credited Williams for adapting their approach during the Dutch GP on the fly. The team avoided committing to the soft tyre at the start, choosing to keep “flexibility” in case conditions changes.
That decision proved crucial after his strong launch into the top ten. It gave them room to extend stints, react if rain intensified, and adjust strategy as the race unfolded. In Albon’s view, both car and team “everything very well,” turning a cautious plan into a top-five finish.
“We adapted very well actually, our strategy was not what it ended up being. But with the start we had, we wanted the flexibility. That’s why we didn’t do a soft tyre or anything on the first lap, because we wanted the flexibility. In case I did a good start, to extend and to give ourselves the chance if the rain was going to come, to pit and react. I think we executed everything very well.”
The key to Albon’s race came in the opening moments of the Dutch GP. He made one move off the line, then swept two cars into Turn 1 around the outside. Another pair fell at Turn 3 where grip allowed him to attack again. For a moment, Albon considered challenging his Williams teammate Sainz as well, but chose not to take the risk at the beginning of the Dutch GP. Instead, he focused on consolidating positions and keeping the momentum. Albon admitted that he had “a very good grip on the first lap compared to [other] drivers.”
“I overtook one on the start, I overtook two into Turn 1, around the outside. I overtook two around the outside of Turn 3. Honestly, I almost overtook Carlos as well, but I didn’t want to risk overtaking Carlos. So I stayed behind and made sure to not get too greedy. But we were looking very strong. Honestly, I might need to understand why the start was so good. Because I felt like I had a very good grip on the first lap compared to some of the drivers around me.”
The penalty against Sainz was “a wrong decision”
Albon also weighed in on the clash between Sainz and Lawson, which unfolded just ahead of him. From his view, the blame lay with Lawson. He felt the New Zealander opened the wheel mid-corner and left Sainz with nowhere to go. The penalty handed to his teammate at Williams puzzled Albon, suggesting that such calls should be left for the steward to review after the Dutch GP. In Albon’s eyes, it was simply “a wrong decision.”
“I don’t know what you guys made of it, but to me it was quite clearly Liam’s fault. So I don’t know why Carlos got the penalty. I think I had the best view out of everyone. It looked to me like in the middle of the corner, Liam opened the wheel and just drove Carlos out to dry. I don’t know where Carlos could have gone.
“I think especially a decision like that, if they’re unsure, should be left to the stewards after the race. But I think it was a wrong decision anyway.”
