Atlassian Williams Racing has loved an amazing starting to the 2025 Components 1 season.
What may need been thought-about a transition 12 months for the staff, with Carlos Sainz Jr. becoming a member of the driving force lineup and this season representing the ultimate 12 months earlier than the brand new laws arrive in 2026, the begin to the marketing campaign has been something however a transition. The staff is off to a roaring begin, they usually enter the European portion of the calendar sitting fifth within the Constructors’ Championship standings, 17 factors forward of sixth-place Haas.
Forward of this week’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, SB Nation caught up with driver Alexander Albon to debate the staff’s begin to the season, his hopes for the remainder of the marketing campaign, and the significance of hydration and vitamin in Components 1.
The beginning of the 2025 season for Atlassian Williams Racing
The dialogue started with a deal with what the staff has completed to this point this season. Albon started the 12 months with a robust efficiency within the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, ending fifth in Melbourne. Whereas climate might have performed a job in that end result, Albon additionally got here throughout the road fifth within the Miami Grand Prix, a end result purely on benefit and tempo.
Albon described the staff’s begin to the season as “promising,” pointing to the 37 factors Atlassian Williams Racing has banked over simply six races.
“It’s been a really promising begin to the 2025 season. We’ve produced some actually sturdy outcomes and scored an enormous quantity of factors in comparison with latest seasons, particularly contemplating we’re solely six races into the 12 months,” famous Albon.
Each Albon and Sainz expressed confidence all through the week in Miami. Sainz highlighted after qualifying how he was simply “three-tenths” off pole place when he certified sixth, and Albon spoke at size with the media, together with SB Nation, in regards to the FW47’s tempo following his P5 in Miami.
Requested in regards to the staff’s 2025 challenger, Albon highlighted simply how tight the sphere is that this season and the necessity to hold pushing.
“It’s the final 12 months of this regulation set so the hole between groups is getting smaller and smaller which locations higher deal with us drivers delivering the very best lap and extracting the very most from the automotive,” started Albon. “For those who make the smallest mistake which prices you a tenth in laptime, it may well imply 4 or 5 positions on the grid.
“We’ve got began the season strongly, and we’re delivering on the alternatives we’re creating, we simply want to make sure we don’t get complacent and get the very most from what we’ve.”
One thing else occurred in Miami forward of the Grand Prix that I merely wanted to ask Albon about.
The LEGO drivers’ parade.
Forward of the Miami Grand Prix, the 20 drivers took to the observe in “huge construct” LEGO F1 vehicles, one for every staff on the grid. Chaos, in addition to pure pleasure, ensued.
“It was a lot enjoyable!” exclaimed Albon when requested in regards to the LEGO drivers’ parade.
“Simply earlier than a race, we’re within the zone and concentrating on all the pieces we’ve to do and bear in mind. So the drivers parade it was a welcome shock to see the LEGO vehicles on the grid for the drivers’ parade,” added Albon. “I’m a HUGE LEGO fan, I’ve been since I used to be a child and so once I noticed them, though I used to be in ‘race mode’, deep down I used to be tremendous excited to leap in and have some enjoyable.”
F1 launched a 15-minute video that includes footage from every automotive’s onboard digicam, which you’ll watch to see simply how a lot enjoyable Albon and firm had that Sunday in Miami earlier than the Grand Prix.
The significance of vitamin and hydration in F1
The extra time I spend round F1, the extra I be taught. From what it takes to deal with a automotive on the observe, to what the drivers must do away from the grid to take care of elite efficiency. For instance, forward of the 2024 United States Grand Prix, I hung out with Tom Clark, Esteban Ocon’s efficiency coach, to learn the way drivers deal with journey, power coaching, and extra.
Having spent per week in Florida for the Miami Grand Prix in sizzling and humid situations, the significance of hydration was the subsequent focus of the dialog. I started by asking Albon how he and the drivers keep hydrated earlier than, throughout, and after a race.
“Managing my hydration is crucial! All through race weekend, I’m consistently staying on prime of my total power ranges because it’s so key to performing on the highest stage,” started Albon. “As a driver, we’re often reminded to take fluids on board and hold hydrating always, and Liquid I.V. performs an enormous position in making hydration simpler for me with 3 times the electrolytes of the main sports activities drink.
“In hotter race locations like Miami, we lose fairly a little bit of water weight by way of sweat. Fortuitously, working with Liquid I.V. has allowed me to rehydrate and get well faster so I can carry out at my finest.”
Albon credited a associate in Liquid I.V. for sustaining his hydration not simply on race day, however all through the week.
“What’s nice about Liquid I.V. is that it’s not solely essential throughout race weekends, but in addition in my day-to-day life,” added Albon. “I’m an enormous believer within the significance of hydration for my total well-being, and Liquid I.V. is breaking limitations within the hydration area. It’s making it simpler for me to remain centered and prepared for no matter comes my method that day – it’s no shock why Liquid I.V. is the #1 Powdered Hydration Model in America.”
Much like my dialogue with Clark final fall, Albon harassed how essential hydration and vitamin are for F1 drivers. With the schedule taking the grid throughout the globe, and parts of the calendar together with triple-headers such because the upcoming stretch that may take the grid from Imola, to Monaco, and at last to Barcelona, staying wholesome is crucial.
Once you add in all the pieces that occurs to the drivers contained in the vehicles on race day, it turns into essential.
“It’s extremely essential,” stated Albon once I requested in regards to the significance of hydration and vitamin. “Once you mix the demanding schedule of journey, excessive temperatures, our a number of layers of fireproof clothes and a heavy crash helmet, and the varied different components of being a driver, staying on prime of correct hydration and vitamin performs an enormous half in total success.
“Drivers can lose 4 to 5 kilos in sweat throughout a traditional race – generally much more on the hotter and extra bodily races, and managing my hydration earlier than, throughout, and after a race is likely one of the most essential components to having a profitable efficiency. I’m lucky to work alongside a model like Liquid I.V. to assist make {that a} seamless expertise,” added the Atlassian Williams Racing driver.
Wanting forward
It was time to sit up for the remainder of the 2025 marketing campaign, with a watch in direction of 2026 and the incoming set of technical laws. The F1 schedule included per week between the Miami Grand Prix and the upcoming triple-header, which begins this week with the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
However should you suppose Albon and the remainder of the drivers had per week off final week, you’re actually mistaken.
“Every week off? Between races, we’ve simulator days again on the staff’s manufacturing unit, health coaching camps and sponsor advertising and marketing days – I can’t bear in mind the final time we had per week off!” began Albon when requested in regards to the upcoming triple-header.
If Albon and Atlassian Williams Racing are going to have success over the subsequent three weeks, your entire staff must “hit their marks” out of the gate.
“Triple header races are demanding, everybody must be able to hit their marks and get going from the off – that goes for us drivers, the engineers, the mechanics, the pit crews, everybody,” added Albon. “It’s nice to be again racing in Europe, the beginning of this leg of the season is at all times good, the followers are so passionate and educated. Hopefully we are able to placed on a present and ship some nice outcomes!”
Included on this stretch is the Monaco Grand Prix, the crown jewel of the F1 calendar. Nonetheless, the race itself has develop into one thing of a lackluster affair in recent times, with overtaking almost unimaginable on race day. Final 12 months’s Monaco Grand Prix is a primary instance of this phenomenon. A gap-lap crash introduced out a pink flag, and introduced your entire grid again to pit lane shortly after the beginning. The drivers remaining within the subject bolted on onerous tires in the course of the pink flag, and went the remainder of the way in which with out a want for pit stops.
That meant Oscar Piastri, who completed second, noticed nothing however the rear wing of Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari over the laps that adopted till the checkered flag.
Forward of this 12 months’s Monaco Grand Prix, the game’s governing physique is instituting a rule change, requiring two pit stops moderately than one. I requested Albon if he thought that may enhance the racing, however the driver expressed some skepticism.
“The vehicles are getting larger however the circuit stays the identical, so I believe overtaking will at all times be difficult till the laws change,” detailed Albon.
Talking with the media after the Miami Grand Prix, Albon harassed that the staff’s purpose was to carry onto fifth within the Constructors’ Championship. I requested Albon if the staff was on observe to fulfill that purpose.
“It’s a really lengthy season and there’s a method to go but,” added Albon. “Our focus will flip in direction of the brand new 2026 laws which implies you cease creating this 12 months’s automotive, which in flip makes it troublesome to maintain up together with your opponents, assuming after all they haven’t switched their consideration to subsequent 12 months but already.”
The circuit in Miami appeared to swimsuit the staff’s challenger, as each Albon and Sainz indicated when talking with the media all through the week. Requested if different circuits on the schedule may swimsuit the FW47, Albon stored his playing cards near his chest.
“You simply by no means know,” stated Albon. “At occasions you suppose we’re going to be faster and our opponents are forward, whereas different tracks we expect we’re going to be poor and we’re sturdy. So we’re taking it race by race, and specializing in what’s in entrance of us.”
As for his and the staff’s objectives all through the remainder of 2025 and into 2026 when the brand new laws arrive?
Reaching the head of the game is what they take into consideration.
“To go forwards, to maintain enhancing, progressing and scoring as many factors as attainable,” stated Albon when requested in regards to the objectives for 2025 and into 2026.
“Our ambitions are to get this staff again to the highest, and we’re giving all the pieces attainable to get us there.”