Sainz was behind "perfect" strategy call for Albon

Alexander Albon admitted he did not agree with the pit stop call made by his team mate which earned him a surprise fifth place in the Australian Grand Prix.

Carlos Sainz Jnr crashed out on the first lap of the race. He returned to the team’s garage where he assisted them with their strategy calls in the rain-affected race.

Following a light shower early in the race, the rain intensified later on, and the race-leading McLaren drivers briefly went off at turn 12. Some drivers pitted immediately in reaction, including Albon, at Sainz’s urging.

“At least being outside of the car I could help the strategy team do the right call with Alex,” said Sainz during the race. “I think we might have just boxed Alex on the perfect lap. So at least I have been useful out of the car too.”

Albon admitted he had doubts about the decision at the time, but was thrilled with the outcome, and thanked the team’s head of race strategy Charles-Antoine Florentin.

“It was a great strategy,” he told the official F1 channel. “I have to say Charles, our strategist, did a great job.

“I didn’t agree with his call to put me in. The track was bone-dry in sector one and two when I came out, but it was the right call and I’m just really happy for everyone.”

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Thanks to the well-timed change, Albon finished fifth. He was temporarily promoted to fourth when Andrea Kimi Antonelli received a five-second time penalty for an unsafe release in the pit lane, but Mercedes successfully overturned that decision after the race.

This is Williams’ first top-five finish in a grand prix which lasted more than a lap for eight years. George Russell finished second in the single-lap Belgian Grand Prix of 2021, before which Lance Stroll’s third place at Baku in 2017 was Williams’ most recent top-five result.

“It feels weird, because a P4 is very special,” he said. “But for it to happen in the first race, you almost lose the appreciation for what it is.”

He was particularly pleased with his car’s performance in conditions which have not suited Williams in recent seasons.

“This is for everyone at Grove as well, for all their work,” he said. “It’s been a really strong winter and we had a great day yesterday.

“Today was windy, mixed conditions. It’s what we hate, actually, and despite all of that we still had a relatively competitive car. I think we still were one of the quickest midfield runners out there today and I’m positive for things to come.”

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