Williams Targets Mexico Grand Prix Reset Following Alex Albon’s COTA Frustrations and Mixed Fortunes

Austin, Texas – Williams Racing driver Alex Albon expressed significant frustration with his lack of cohesive rhythm at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) during the United States Grand Prix, despite acknowledging periods of strong underlying pace from his FW45 challenger. The Thai-British driver’s weekend culminated in a 14th-place finish in Sunday’s main race, a performance he attributed to an inability to consistently "click in the corners" and a challenging initial tyre strategy. The team now shifts its focus to the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix, seeking a more streamlined and productive outing.

Albon’s COTA weekend presented a dichotomy of results for Williams. While the main Grand Prix proved challenging, he demonstrated impressive form in Saturday’s Sprint race, securing a valuable sixth-place finish and adding three points to Williams’ Constructors’ Championship tally. This result underscored the potential of the FW45, particularly in shorter-format racing, yet it also highlighted the inconsistencies that plagued the team during the full-distance event.

"A frustrating day," Albon stated following Sunday’s Grand Prix. "We started on the hard tyre, which is usually a good option when the track is this hot. But we had no grip and effectively did another stop early in the race." This early strategic misstep, combined with Albon’s personal struggle to find a flow with the demanding COTA circuit, contributed to a "scrappy" race. Despite possessing "good pace" at various points, the execution suffered, preventing a higher finish. "This weekend I didn’t feel like I was in rhythm with the circuit, but at least we came out of the sprint with a few points and some key learnings," he concluded, already looking ahead to the next challenge.

The Circuit of the Americas, known for its challenging elevation changes and a demanding first sector inspired by European tracks, requires a precise and confident driving style. Albon’s comments suggest a disconnect between his driving inputs and the car’s response, particularly through the technical corner sequences. Such a lack of synergy can be exacerbated by tyre performance, as evidenced by the initial struggles with the hard compound, which failed to generate sufficient grip under the Texan heat. The early pit stop forced Williams onto an alternative strategy, disrupting their race flow and making it difficult to recover significant ground.

Related News :

Verstappen Defies Expectations, Calls Early Season Doubters "Idiots" Amidst Remarkable Title Charge

For Williams, a team fiercely battling for position in the Constructors’ Championship, every point is critical. Heading into the US Grand Prix, Williams occupied seventh place, a significant improvement over recent seasons. Their primary competitors in the lower midfield include AlphaTauri, Haas, and Alfa Romeo, with point swings having a substantial impact on final standings and, crucially, prize money. Albon has been the team’s primary point-scorer throughout the 2023 season, consistently extracting performance often beyond the car’s perceived capabilities. His three points from the COTA sprint were therefore vital, even if the Grand Prix itself yielded no further gains.

The COTA weekend also presented a complex narrative for Albon’s teammate, American rookie Logan Sargeant. Sargeant, aiming for his maiden Formula 1 points, showed promising pace throughout the weekend. He qualified 18th, just one position behind Albon in the Grand Prix qualifying session. In Sunday’s race, Sargeant delivered what appeared to be a breakthrough performance, crossing the finish line in 10th position, which would have awarded him his first-ever Formula 1 championship point. However, post-race scrutineering found his car’s plank to be excessively worn, leading to his disqualification. This outcome was a bitter blow for both Sargeant and the Williams team, turning a potential double-points finish into a solitary sprint points haul from Albon. The disqualification underscored the fine margins and rigorous technical regulations that define Formula 1, robbing Sargeant of a hard-earned result.

Williams Team Principal James Vowles encapsulated the unpredictable nature of motorsport in his reflection on the Austin weekend. "Part of the reason why I’m in motorsport is you can have some fantastic days with the highest highs, and then just 24 hours later, you can walk away with nothing, as we are today. And that’s the reflection of Austin," Vowles remarked. His statement perfectly captured the contrast between Albon’s sprint success and the team’s broader Grand Prix struggles, compounded by Sargeant’s subsequent disqualification.

Despite the setbacks, Vowles maintained an optimistic outlook regarding the car’s inherent capabilities. "What’s positive to me is we have really strong car pace, and that’s one item that we’ll carry through for the remainder of the season," he asserted. This belief in the FW45’s performance baseline provides a foundation for the team’s ongoing efforts. However, Vowles also identified critical areas for improvement: "it just highlights that we have to qualify both cars in position towards the point-scoring end of the grid, and we need to ensure we’re fighting through the field without contact or incident." The incident-free racing and strong qualifying performance are paramount for Williams to convert their potential into tangible results.

Vowles also addressed a separate incident involving Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz and Mercedes junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli (who was competing in a support series or mentioned in a broader context, as Antonelli is not an F1 driver), which resulted in Sainz receiving a five-place grid penalty for the Mexico Grand Prix. While this incident did not directly involve a Williams car, Vowles acknowledged the stewards’ decision, stating, "I’m sorry for both Carlos and Kimi, both had good race pace today and I’m confident would have scored points, but it is just a part of racing that, as you’re trying to overtake through different sections, contact may happen. The stewards have decided to hand Carlos a 5 place grid penalty, there was a sensible conversation however the guidelines are fairly clear on fault allocation." This demonstrated a broader perspective on race incidents within the F1 paddock.

Looking ahead, the focus for Williams squarely turns to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the Mexican Grand Prix. The circuit presents unique challenges, primarily its extremely high altitude (over 2,200 meters or 7,200 feet above sea level). The thinner air at this elevation significantly impacts aerodynamic downforce, engine performance, and cooling. Teams run maximum downforce wings, but the air density means they still generate less actual downforce than at sea-level tracks. This can lead to cars sliding more and tyres overheating, demanding precise setup and management. The thinner air also challenges engine combustion and cooling systems, often requiring larger cooling apertures and careful engine mapping.

Williams’ FW45 has shown particular strengths on circuits with long straights and less emphasis on absolute aerodynamic efficiency in slow corners, thanks to its Mercedes power unit and generally low-drag philosophy. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez features a very long main straight, followed by a mix of medium and low-speed corners, which could potentially play to some of the FW45’s strengths, particularly if they can manage the unique high-altitude conditions effectively.

"Next time out in Mexico we just need to tidy a few things up and hopefully have a smooth weekend," Albon articulated, echoing Vowles’ determination. The "tidying up" will likely involve a comprehensive review of the COTA data, particularly concerning tyre performance and car balance, to ensure the FW45 is optimally set up for the distinct demands of Mexico City. Driver preparation will also be key, with Albon and Sargeant needing to quickly adapt to the reduced grip and different car behavior at altitude.

The upcoming Mexican Grand Prix is the first leg of a demanding triple-header that also includes Brazil and Las Vegas. This rapid succession of races places immense pressure on teams to perform consistently and minimize errors. For Williams, maximizing their points haul in these crucial late-season races is paramount to solidifying their Constructors’ Championship position and carrying positive momentum into the final rounds of the season. The team’s ambition is clear: to leverage the underlying pace of the FW45, avoid incidents, and execute clean, coherent race weekends, beginning with Mexico.

Author Profile

Jonas Leo: Jonas Leo is a passionate motorsport journalist and lifelong Formula 1 enthusiast. With a sharp eye for race strategy and driver performance, he brings readers closer to the world of Grand Prix racing through in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive paddock insights. Jonas has covered everything from preseason testing to dramatic title deciders, capturing the emotion and precision that define modern F1. When he’s not tracking lap times or pit stop tactics, he enjoys exploring classic racing archives and writing about the evolution of F1 technology.