Albon: joining Red Bull was intimidating

After replacing Pierre Gasly mid-season at Red Bull, Alexander Albon has secured a contract extension for the 2020 season. The Thai had a busy year full of twists and turns for his debut in F1 passing from Toro Rosso at Red Bull where he found himself facing Max Verstappen considered one of the best drivers on the grid.

“There was something really intimidating about my first call after Hungary, but I felt like I could do something. I was quite satisfied with the races I had competed in. It really made me feel good to know that I was renewed for next year, it means a lot to me,” he commented in the paddock of the Brazilian GP in Sao Paulo.

Alexander albon admits that his first steps within Red Bull Racing were stressful, with the rookie finding himself center stage among the top teams in the F1 paddock.

“I wondered how I was going to face the big names in the disciplinehe said. I found myself in an identical situation before the start of the season. But since I had experienced situations like this before, I felt more at ease the second time. I had a lot of things going through my mind in Spa (Belgium), but you concentrate on driving once you put on the helmet and everything else no longer matters. »

Red Bull Racing in any case seems to benefit from a complementary crew, Max Verstappen enjoying the company of the new recruit.

“Alex is a pleasant and relaxed person. He is appreciated within the team, he knows how to be fast and collect points for the team. It has changed quite a bit over the last 12 months but it was a wise choice for the team. His performance motivated this decision”, commented the Dutchman.

Since his arrival at Red Bull Racing, Alexander Albon has achieved a 4th place at the Japanese GP as his best result but has finished in 4th place 5 times.