05 January 2023 , 22:38
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Red Bull's top engineer has heaped praise upon their former driver Alex Albon after an impressive year back racing in Formula 1.
Albon may have feared the worst for his F1 career after dropping out of the sport. It came after a season and a half racing for Red Bull – an opportunity which came earlier than planned, following the struggles endured by Pierre Gasly in just a handful of races at the top team.
Red Bull retained him as a reserve and test driver and also played a part in finding him a seat after missing the 2021 season. He signed with Williams ahead of last year, initially retaining links with his old employer as he embarked on his debut year with his new team.
While Williams, a historic team suffering a worrying period of decline, finished rock bottom of the constructors' championship, Albon was still able to shine. He managed a handful of points despite having comfortably the worst car on the grid, along with many other performances which were admirable even if they yielded no tangible reward.
Williams recognised his efforts and talent and rewarded him with a new multi-year contract during the summer break. Albon's fellow racers also noticed what he was doing, voting him the eighth best driver on the grid in 2022 despite finishing 19th in the points standings.
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Red Bull also noticed the Thai racer's achievements and watched on proudly. Albon is no longer affiliated with his old team, since signing that new contract, but still chief engineer Paul Monaghan had a lot of nice things to say about the 26-year-old.
Things did not work out for Albon at Red Bull (Getty Images)"Thinking back to Alex's time with us, he came across a very conscientious, polite, gifted driver," he told reporters. "He had a pretty good idea of what he wanted from the car straight off. He knew when it wasn't to his liking and could tell you what was to his dislike.
"We didn't always manage to give him a car that was adequate for his wants. Obviously, he had a pretty rapid team-mate, which puts a little bit more pressure on him and he handled that, I thought, exceptionally well for a young driver.
"In 2021, you saw a driver who was frustrated, yet able to deal with this situation. You saw someone who was learning and worked with us and, rather than being despondent for that year, he used that year and now he's come back with [Williams] and it's nice to see him nearer the front of the grid.
"It's nice to see the progress, and it's nice to see them scoring points, so full credit to Alex for enduring a reasonably tough time, learning, not being despondent and pushing himself on to achieve what his talents deserve. So many congratulations to him, and long may his growth in the sport continue."