Albon Calls for Williams to Address Persistent Barcelona Struggles After Difficult Spanish GP

Williams driver Alex Albon has urged his team to conduct a thorough investigation into why the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya continues to pose a significant challenge for their Formula 1 cars, following a demanding Spanish Grand Prix weekend. The Grove-based outfit arrived in Barcelona anticipating difficulties, acknowledging the circuit's traditional tendency to expose areas where their car concept has struggled in recent seasons. These expectations proved well-founded as the team endured a tough event. Qualifying saw both Williams cars fail to reach the final segment, setting the stage for a challenging Sunday. The race itself unfolded with multiple incidents for Albon. On the opening lap, he was caught in congestion at Turn 1, suffering contact that necessitated an early pit stop for a new front wing. Later in the race, he was involved in another collision with Liam Lawson, resulting in further front wing damage. This second incident also led to a 10-second penalty for Albon for leaving the track and gaining an advantage. After serving the penalty and sustaining the damage, Albon ultimately elected to retire the car. Albon's teammate also experienced contact on the first lap, resulting in front wing damage. Although the damage was reportedly less severe and the driver continued to the finish without pitting for repairs, the performance of the car was compromised. The teammate completed the race distance but failed to score any points at a circuit where they had previously enjoyed a consistent points-scoring record. Reflecting on the weekend, Albon highlighted the unfortunate circumstances he faced on track, particularly the early contact that forced a deviation from their planned strategy. More broadly, he stressed the importance of understanding the car's specific weaknesses at the Spanish circuit. Albon emphasized that dissecting the reasons behind their lack of performance in Barcelona is crucial for Williams' long-term ambitions. He views circuits like Catalunya, known for their demanding mix of corners and exposing aerodynamic efficiency, as vital testbeds for learning and optimizing the car for future developments across the calendar. Despite the difficult weekend, Albon indicated that he feels a good connection with the FW47 overall and is focusing ahead to the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix.