GP Racing - UK (2020-04)

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