REPORT: A gutting result in Montreal
Alex's Canadian Grand Prix ends in desperately unlucky circumstances
Published
09 Jun 2024
Est Reading Time
2 min
Alex Albon was hugely unfortunate not to take something away from an incident-packed Canadian Grand Prix, after a 54th lap collision with Carlos Sainz forced an early retirement.
The race began in wet conditions, and strategy calls were key throughout, as the weather continued to impact the weekend's running.
Despite losing a handful of positions early on, Alex drove well in challenging circumstances to battle into the points-paying positions as the track continued to dry.
A Safety Car period from Lap 26 coincided with the arrival of more rain, allowing Alex a chance to fit new intermediate tyres.
Visibility proved a constant challenge, with Alex having to call for updates on movement behind him as he struggled to see through his rear view mirrors.
But his focus needn't have been behind, because he managed to scythe through the crowd in the middle period of the race.
He performed a stunning double overtake on Daniel Ricciardo and Esteban Ocon into the final chicane to take P9, a move that will surely sit atop the season-end highlight reels.
The track continued to dry up, and the strategists' attention turned to timing a switch on to dry tyres. After some back-markers made the change early, all eyes were on their lap times.
It was a Lap 45 switch in the end, as Alex fitted medium tyres to attempt to race to the end, with points a clear possibility.
But Alex's race ended in desperately unlucky fashion when, on lap 54, Carlos Sainz, ahead of him, spun after catching a wet patch of track in turn 6. As Alex tried to sneak by, he made contact with Sainz's rear wing, which in turn sent him into the wall.
He was forced to retire, and the possibility of a second consecutive points finish disappeared through no fault of his own.
Focus now will switch to Spain. Alex showed great promise in his FW46 today, and hopes will be high for a return to the points-positions in Barcelona.
Alex commented, "A disappointing end to our race today. Points were definitely on the table and the car felt good on all compounds in the changing conditions.
"We didn't take any unnecessary risks and the race plan was well-executed by the team. It was a battle of survival, which was always going to be the case considering the weather, and we ended up getting caught in other people's errors.
"That's racing and I don't think I could've done anything differently."
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