Albon feels he has "done everything" to save Red Bull seat
Alexander Albon feels he has "done everything" to save his Red Bull seat for 2021 after Christian Horner praised his strongest weekend of the Formula 1 season in Abu Dhabi.
Albon qualified fifth in Abu Dhabi, but was able to pass McLaren's Lando Norris for fourth place in the opening stint before the safety car drew him close to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
Although Albon could not put Hamilton under pressure initially, he was able to go on a late charge to cut the gap from nine seconds to just 1.5 seconds in the final 15 laps, crossing the line fourth.
Red Bull is considering whether to replace Albon with Sergio Perez for the 2021 season, but has repeatedly said it wanted to give its incumbent driver as much time as possible to stake a claim for the seat.
Asked by Motorsport.com after the race in the Abu Dhabi paddock what the result meant for his future, Albon said he was proud of the performance.
"I feel like it's been my best weekend, in terms of performance," Albon said.
"I want to say thanks for a lot of support from the guys at the factory and here. We didn't give up, we kept trying to find solutions and getting me more comfortable with the car, and it is a tricky car to drive.
"But to keep pushing and to have my best result, obviously under all the pressures of the weekend and everything going on, I'm proud of myself, and I felt like it was a good closing end to the year.
"If it's enough or not, it's not mine to say really. But of course, I feel like I've done everything. I'll leave it in the hands of the others to decide."
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 after the race in Abu Dhabi, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner agreed with Albon's assessment that it was his strongest weekend of the year.
"Alex has done a very good job today," Horner said.
"It's probably been his strongest collective weekend of the season, and he's driven a good race. He was putting Lewis under pressure at the end of the race there.
"That now gives us a complete set of information now to go away and analyse it, and work out what we're going to do."
Asked when a decision could be expected, Horner replied: "I'm sure you guys will know as soon as we've made it. It's not going to take too long."
Related video
Previous article
Abu Dhabi GP defeat "a slap on the wrist" for Mercedes
Next article
Mercedes: Power unit deficit worth less than 0.1s per lap
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Abu Dhabi GP |
| Drivers | Alex Albon |
| Author | Luke Smith |
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
