Alexander Albon of Williams Racing FW46 expressed his preference for position swaps rather than time penalties in Formula 1. This comes after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix where Kevin Magnussen received a 10-second penalty for making contact with Albon’s car and then overtaking Yuki Tsunoda outside of the track limits. In response, Haas instructed Magnussen to slow down, allowing Nico Hulkenberg to gain an advantage through a pit-stop. Despite circulating at a slower pace, Magnussen managed to maintain his position and secure the final point. Red Bull (RB) criticized these tactics as “unsportsmanlike” and stated their intention to discuss the matter with the FIA.
Albon believes that the circuit’s design played a role in the clash, starting with Magnussen not leaving enough room at Turn 4 during the restart. He acknowledged the fairness of the initial penalty but expressed his dislike for the corner’s shape, which he finds misleading. Albon suggests that the corner should be flattened to avoid such incidents in the future. He holds a different view regarding the second incident involving Magnussen, considering it “cheeky.” Albon points out that this kind of strategy could become common in the sport, as it guarantees points for a teammate despite receiving a penalty. He argues that a time penalty of five to ten seconds is not appropriate and proposes that the driver should be required to return the position instead.
Albon acknowledges that he comprehends the motives behind Haas using Magnussen’s unattainable position in the race to assist the sister VF-24 car in securing a crucial point.
During the early stages of the 2024 season, a significant gap has emerged between the top five teams and the rest. Albon believes that the lower-ranked teams will imitate Haas.
“You witnessed it this weekend. I believe any team would adopt the same approach, sacrificing one driver in exchange for guaranteed points,” he admitted.
“Perhaps the top teams won’t engage in such tactics. However, the midfield teams, who need to seize every opportunity for points, would do it without hesitation.
“I think we might witness more drivers doing it just to ensure their teammates score points.”
Albon felt frustrated by the resulting damage to his front wing and Magnussen’s obstruction, which hindered Williams from showcasing its true potential in Jeddah.
“Regrettably, we lacked speed and also had front wing damage, which impeded our progress through the field,” he analyzed.
“We possessed a race car that was better than what we demonstrated today, so now our focus is on improving for Australia.”