GP RACING APRIL 2020 65
WORDSALEX
KALINAUCKAS
PICTURES
RED BULL
CONTENT POOL
oronemoreyearatleast,only six drivers can
expect to win races in Formula 1. The ruling class
of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull has shared every
grand prix win since 2014.
The drivers that don’t win in those cars – Kimi
Räikkönen (one well-executed victory at Austin
aside), Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly – are ultimately
shown the door. Only two have walked away:Nico Rosbergand
Daniel Ricciardo, into retirement and Renault respectively.
Red Bull has undergone the most line-upchurn. Kvyat and
Max Verstappen swapped seats, Ricciardo departed, and then
- midway through last year – Gasly was demoted back to
Toro Rosso, whence Alex Albon steppedup.
Albon enters 2020 as comfortably the least experienced
class A driver. It’s only a little over a year since he was
completing his first laps at the wheel of an F1 car.
“There were a few restless nights before I drove the car,”
he recalls. “But, actually, looking back at it, it was that thing
of ‘you have all this attention but then actually once you get in
the car –once you’ve got your helmet on, belts are strapped–
you realise that’s what you do best – that’s what you’re meant
to do’. And the nerves go away then, and off I was – driving
around in a Formula 1 car for the first time.
“Testing [with Toro Rosso] felt very smooth and I felt on
pace, and Iwason pace pretty quickly. Then it was just about
getting to know the basic things –pitstops, strategy,looking
after the tyres, theprotocol of the steering wheel. That stuff
is actually where you find little bits of laptime – playing with
your set-up through the steering wheel and things like that.
“It was OK. When I first drove the car, after the stint [of] the
ONWARDS
AND UPWARDS
(OR ELSE)
F
In his own words,AlexAlbonis his ownfiercest critic,
and he needs to be since he’s drivingfor F1’s most
ruthless team. After a remarkable rookie season, can
he now kick on and prove to Red Bull that he’s the only
manfor the job of being MaxVerstappen’s team-mate?
ALL PICTURES
:RED BULL
CO
NTENT POOL
GP RACING APRIL 2020 65
WORDSALEX
KALINAUCKAS
PICTURES
RED BULL
CONTENT POOL
oronemoreyearatleast,only six drivers can
expect to win races in Formula 1. The ruling class
of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull has shared every
grand prix win since 2014.
The drivers that don’t win in those cars – Kimi
Räikkönen (one well-executed victory at Austin
aside), Daniil Kvyat, Pierre Gasly – are ultimately
shown the door. Only two have walked away:Nico Rosbergand
Daniel Ricciardo, into retirement and Renault respectively.
Red Bull has undergone the most line-upchurn. Kvyat and
Max Verstappen swapped seats, Ricciardo departed, and then
- midway through last year – Gasly was demoted back to
Toro Rosso, whence Alex Albon steppedup.
Albon enters 2020 as comfortably the least experienced
class A driver. It’s only a little over a year since he was
completing his first laps at the wheel of an F1 car.
“There were a few restless nights before I drove the car,”
he recalls. “But, actually, looking back at it, it was that thing
of ‘you have all this attention but then actually once you get in
the car –once you’ve got your helmet on, belts are strapped–
you realise that’s what you do best – that’s what you’re meant
to do’. And the nerves go away then, and off I was – driving
around in a Formula 1 car for the first time.
“Testing [with Toro Rosso] felt very smooth and I felt on
pace, and Iwason pace pretty quickly. Then it was just about
getting to know the basic things –pitstops, strategy,looking
after the tyres, theprotocol of the steering wheel. That stuff
is actually where you find little bits of laptime – playing with
your set-up through the steering wheel and things like that.
“It was OK. When I first drove the car, after the stint [of] the
ONWARDS
AND UPWARDS
(OR ELSE)
F
In his own words,AlexAlbonis his ownfiercest critic,
and he needsto be since he’s drivingfor F1’s most
ruthlessteam. After a remarkable rookie season, can
he nowkick on and prove to Red Bull that he’s theonly
manfor the job of being MaxVerstappen’steam-mate?
ALL PICTURES
:RED BULL
CO
NTENT POOL