‘Albon needs to build on his inherited podium’

Michelle Foster
Alex Albon, Red Bull

Alex Albon

Lucking into a podium at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Ross Brawn says Alex Albon needs to use it as a confidence booster if he wants to hold onto his Red Bull seat.

Albon finished third in a dramatic Bahrain Grand Prix, one that started with fire for Romain Grosjean and ended with one for Sergio Perez.

The Racing Point had been running in a comfortable third place, six seconds up the road from Albon, when his RP20’s engine let go.

As Perez came to a stop at the side of the track, Albon moved up into third place, securing only his second Formula 1 podium.

The P3 could not have come at a better time for the Thai-British racer as he is fighting to retain his Red Bull seat for next year’s championship.

Perez, though, is his main competitor and was the better of the two on the day, even Max Verstappen feels that way.

Brawn says Albon needs to use this podium as momentum to secure his Red Bull ride.

“There was a little bit of good fortune for Alex, when he inherited his second podium after Sergio Perez retired, but he put himself in a position to take advantage when the opportunity presented itself,” the F1 sporting boss wrote in his post-race column.

“There was a little bit of good fortune today for Alex, when he inherited his second podium after Sergio Perez retired, but he put himself in a position to take advantage when the opportunity presented itself.

“This podium will do wonders for his confidence. He now needs to build on this result and get some momentum.”

Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon Bahrain podium

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Albon has two races remaining in which to prove he deserves the Red Bull seat.

While many may feel that Perez won that round of the auditions, team boss Christian Horner is determined to give Albon until the final lap of the season to book his place on the 2021 grid.

“No decision will be made until after the final race,” said the Brit.

“We’re giving him every opportunity, we want him to succeed. I think we’ve been clear with that all along and days like today help him, but there are still two further races.

“Sergio is doing the best possible job that he can to ensure that he remains under consideration, and today was Alex’s good fortune with that podium.

“But Alex had a good day, and of course there are still two further races to go.”

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