Williams doesn’t have a spare chassis on web site however staff principal James Vowles has confirmed that the choice exists to modify Albon to Logan Sargeant’s automobile on Saturday, leaving the American on the sidelines.
Albon had an enormous accident in FP1 in Albert Park, hitting a concrete wall with the correct hand aspect of the automobile at high-speed earlier than spearing throughout the monitor and placing the wall on the opposite aspect as properly.
The staff shortly confirmed that Albon, who was not injured within the affect, would sit out FP2.
It can now give the broken chassis an intensive test through NDT [non-destructive testing] to find out if it may be repaired in a single day below a curfew joker.
The decision on whether or not or to not proceed with the work shall be made this night after FP2.
“It was a fairly large accident,” Vowles instructed Motorsport.com. “The engine is broken, the gearbox is break up in two, and the chassis is broken.
“It is the worst you possibly can have ever had. We should not have a 3rd chassis right here, that is appropriate. So now it is simply whether or not we will restore this one.
“We’ve restore kits, essentially of these I am not but positive, as a result of it is a very severe accident and with what occurred on the entrance [right] nook.”
Alex Albon, Williams Racing
Picture by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photos
Vowles revealed that if Albon’s chassis can’t be repaired, the decision may very well be made for him to take over Sargeant’s automobile because the senior driver and the person almost definitely to attain factors at what’s often a race of excessive attrition.
“One level right here will make the distinction between sixth and tenth doubtlessly within the championship, easy as that,” he mentioned.
“It simply relies upon. I wish to see how FP2 is, I wish to see how the automobile performs. I wish to see what choices we now have accessible to us on the chassis right here as properly.”
If the decision is made for Albon to make use of Sargeant’s chassis the staff must match an engine and gearbox from the previous’s personal pool.
Vowles admitted that Williams had taken a calculated threat in not having a spare chassis accessible for the early races of the season.
“We’ve been very open and clear that we have been pushing all the things to absolutely the restrict throughout the winter to get the place we’re, and sacrifices needed to be made,” he mentioned.
“And one of many sacrifices, which is a threat that you simply take, is you convey a spare hopefully to spherical about spherical three. It pushed simply away from that.
“And so what you are doing is suggesting that for this primary a part of the season, you possibly can’t have a serious accident. And it has not paid off in these circumstances.”