Azerbaijan Report: A best finish of 2024 in Baku

Alex ran an alternate strategy and benefitted from late-race chaos for big points

Published

15 Sep 2024

Est Reading Time

2 min

Alex Albon secured his best finish of the season so far, and his first points-scoring result at Baku, in the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

After another Q3 performance in Saturday's Qualifying session, Alex used the pace in the car beneath him to run in the top-10 positions almost all race long.

He was one of only a few drivers to attempt an alternative tyre strategy by lining up on the grid with Pirelli's white-ringed hard compound rubber and planning to pit for mediums later in the race.

Benefitting from Lewis Hamilton starting from the pit lane, Alex gained a place before the race started to begin one position higher than his P10 qualification.

Even though the hard tyre had less grip than those around him, Alex maintained his P9 starting position through the first lap, fending off Ollie Bearman into Turn 3.

Alex suiting up for a hard-fought race in Baku.

Although it took a few laps for the mediums to degrade on Albono's rivals' cars, Alex slowly crept up the order as others pitted.

An out-of-position Lando Norris looked to be a threat as the McLaren scythed through the order, but his advancement stopped in the wheeltracks of Alex, who had reached P4.

Getting plenty of TV coverage, Alex's defensive driving held off any Norris attack and his tyre whispering talents were put to use, taking the hard compound to Lap 31 of the race.

Rejoining in P10, Nico Hulkenberg overtook Albono into Turn 3 as Alex tried to get temperature in his tyres, but the Haas driver wouldn't stay ahead for long.

Overtaking Williams Racing teammate Franco Colapinto, Hulkeneberg and Alex duelled for six laps before a DRS pass into Turn 1 demoted the German back down.

Alex next set to work on closing the gap to Fernando Alonso in P8, and he reduced the defecit from around three seconds to just over one when a late-race VSC slowed the field down.

Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz had collided exiting Turn 2, and two free positions came Alex's way, turning his hard-fought P9 into a P7 finish as the race ended under the Virtual Safety Car.

Speaking with Williams Racing Team Principal James Vowles over the radio on the cool-down lap, Alex said, "When I saw how few people went hard, I was a bit worried but we made it work!"

Vowles had praised Alex's efforts by saying, "Alex, absolutely incredible. Well done.

"P7 and well earned points. It was a brilliant race executed from start to finish."