Frustrated Albon rues ‘missed opportunity’ as he fails to score for the first time in 2025

Alex Albon was left frustrated after the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Williams man believing points were possible despite a lowly P15 grid slot. He fought his way back into the top 10 at times during the frantic race but wound up coming home 12th at the flag.

The Thai driver had suffered a disappointing Qualifying on Saturday, eliminated in Q1 and thus starting below where the car was capable of being – his team mate Carlos Sainz having qualified eighth.

But starting on the soft tyres, Albon was hopeful of a good recovery drive. He rose up into the top 10 as one of very few drivers to make the hard compound tyres work in the second stint – but was left to rue the timing of the mid-race Safety Car.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - APRIL 13: Alexander Albon of Thailand driving the (23) Williams FW47 Mercedes — Albon enduring a frustrating race in Bahrain

“We had enough [for the top 10], we had more than enough to be honest,” Albon said after the race. “We were coming through the field really well on the hard tyre, we were about to go into a net P8 and then the Safety Car came out at the wrong time.

“We then had to double stack both cars so I lost another two positions in the pit stop and then we were P12.”

Albon wound up on the preferred medium compound tyre late on, and was closing in on the top 10, having DRS (drag reduction system) on Kimi Antonelli, who in turn was just half a second behind Ollie Bearman.

But Haas driver Bearman held on to the final point, leaving Albon with his lowest finishing slot of the year – the Thai driver having claimed P5, P7 and P9 in Australia, China and Japan respectively.

“For me, it feels more like a missed opportunity. We didn’t qualify where we should have, just got a little bit stuck in the pit lane yesterday,” Albon added.

BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN - APRIL 11: Alexander Albon of Thailand driving the (23) Williams FW47 Mercedes on — Williams will be trying to return to the top 10 in Jeddah to end the triple-header on a high

“Today, we rebounded as we should to go from P15 into the points and then we got unlucky with the Safety Car and were out of it again. I don’t necessarily think it was a tricky weekend, just a bit unfortunate and we’ll get back again.”

It was the first weekend in 2025 where Williams have failed to score, with Sainz forced into retirement after contact with Yuki Tsunoda damaged his bodywork. It means they drop from fifth to sixth in the Teams’ Standings behind Haas, who scored with both cars.

But there is an immediate chance for Williams to bounce back, with Saudi Arabia next up for Albon and Sainz this coming weekend.

HIGHLIGHTS: Catch up on Piastri’s stellar run to victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix