Williams driver Albon fell sick on the Saturday of the Italian Grand Prix, requiring instant surgical procedure for appendicitis earlier than issues led to respiratory failure. He was finally discharged a couple of days later and returned to racing on the Singapore Grand Prix.
Albon mentioned in Singapore that he was “match as I will be” and pain-free to return, albeit at some of the physically-challenging races on the calendar, which was adopted by one other powerful race at Suzuka one week later.
Requested by Autosport following the top of the season in Abu Dhabi if he had received again to 100% health since Monza, Albon mentioned: “I might say [I need the] winter to get to 100%.
“We didn’t have the time to coach to actually get again that health, so sure.
“However realistically talking, Singapore was powerful, Japan was 75%, and after Japan, I felt fairly good.”
Albon returned to F1 full-time this yr with Williams after spending 2021 in a reserve function at Purple Bull, and led the British crew’s efforts all year long.
Alex Albon, Williams FW44, Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren MCL36, Kevin Magnussen, Haas VF-22
Picture by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Photographs
The Anglo-Thai driver scored three of its 5 top-10 finishes, together with runs to ninth in Miami and tenth in Australia with an audacious technique, making up for its lack of efficiency in comparison with the groups additional forward.
However Albon felt that being match for Monza was the largest alternative he missed this yr given how well-suited the FW44 automotive was to the high-speed structure. His stand-in for the race, Nyck de Vries, completed ninth.
“I really feel like the largest one was being wholesome for Monza, that might have been my details alternative,” mentioned Albon.
“Apart from that, I’m undecided. I actually do really feel like within the moments the place we’ve had the prospect to attain factors, we now have.
“Sadly that’s the place we’re this yr. It’s been a yr the place we’ve had the whole lot to go completely for us, a little bit of fortune as nicely, and that will get us into the factors.
“We don’t need it to occur subsequent yr. We need to work arduous, actually nail the steadiness points we’ve been having this yr, and if we are able to get on high of that, I really feel like as a crew, we appear to be maximising our alternatives. That’s good.
“I really feel like that reveals we’re working within the appropriate means. If we get a greater automotive, we’re going to be combating for higher alternatives extra persistently and scoring extra factors.”