Albon relishes wet Q3 as Williams looks for more rain

Alex Albon emerged from a disrupted, rain-soaked qualifying at Interlagos in high spirits after securing tenth place for Williams. He said the car was difficult to control throughout the session, but the challenge made the experience enjoyable.

Qualifying was halted for more than 80 minutes as heavy rain hit the circuit. When the first segment resumed, drivers were on full wet tyres. Albon advanced from a 1:33.150 in Q1 to a 1:28.918 in Q2 as conditions improved, then made it into Q3 and recorded a 1:30.456.

Albon battled through a session with little margin

The Williams driver described fighting the steering throughout his laps and said the effort left his hands tired. He also had to consciously ease his grip rather than tense up at the wheel. Despite the tricky conditions, he finished tenth fastest in a session that demanded patience as well as control.

Albon’s teammate Carlos Sainz was eliminated in Q2 and classified 15th. Lando Norris secured pole with a 1:27.470 shortly before the rain returned, with George Russell second fastest. Russell was asked to hold back behind Albon in Q3 to create space for another attempt, but the weather prevented the plan from coming to fruition.

The wet-weather performance gives Williams hope of scoring more points before the season ends. Albon’s wider Williams campaign has also drawn attention, while Sainz’s Williams struggles provide another recent perspective on the team’s season.

Penalties could improve Williams’ grid positions

Albon’s tenth place on the road may translate into a better starting position because several drivers are facing penalties. Russell has a five-place drop, Charles Leclerc a ten-place penalty, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen are set to start from the back following power-unit penalties.

Albon expects those sanctions to help both Williams cars start further up. But the weather remains central to the team’s prospects: he believes a dry race would remove the advantage Williams found in the wet. The team will be hoping conditions stay rainy, giving it a stronger opportunity to fight for points.