‘He ordered the most expensive thing on the menu’ – Albon reveals how his compensatory Monaco dinner with Russell panned out

Alex Albon revealed how his dinner date with Mercedes’ George Russell’s panned out as compensation for his part in Williams’ team games in Monaco.

The Monaco Grand Prix saw Williams play a tactical game with drivers Albon and Carlos Sainz, with the pair taking it in turns to back the pack up to create space for a free pitstop – this happening four times in succession as both drivers completed their two mandatory stops.

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Held up in the queue behind was Russell, who eventually became so frustrated he skipped the Nouvelle Chicane to pass Albon, and refused to give back the position. The stewards duly handed Russell – who told his engineer that he would rather be penalised – a drive-through for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and he ultimately crossed the line just outside the points in 11th.

After the race, both Williams drivers apologised for the tactical play, while Russell joked that Albon owed him dinner as compensation.

Asked how the dinner in Monaco went, Albon said: “He ordered the most expensive thing on the menu. He did, actually. It was the lobster pasta.

“I had the carbonara, and to be fair, I wanted to kind of play it that way, but it was wagyu carbonara, which I’ve never had before. But he did miss out on the dessert, so it kind of equalled itself out.”

Asked how much the bill had cost, he added: “Yes, pasta, but lobster pasta, in Monaco… Monaco is not cheap. You can’t eat out… on race weekends, they bump up the prices everywhere.”

Suggested that a crowdfunding may be in order, Albon grinned: “I may do, yeah. I mean, George is going through negotiations isn’t he? Maybe post-decision he’ll pay the bills next time!»

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But for Russell, the score is not fully settled. “Not expensive enough!» said the Mercedes driver in the press conference ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.

«So, the bill is definitely not even just yet.”

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