Red Bull driver reflects on Brazil podium near-miss and takes encouragement from his performance against F1's big names
Thursday 28 November 2019 14:27, UK
Alex Albon says he received messages from Lewis Hamilton in the wake of the clash which cost him a maiden F1 podium in the Brazilian GP - a weekend he believes still contained more positives than negatives for him.
Albon was running in second place to Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen with one lap to go at Interlagos but was spun around after a collision with F1's six-time champion. Hamilton immediately apologised for the clash after the race and was later demoted to seventh place after stewards issued him with a time penalty.
"Lewis isn't all to blame, there are things I can always do to avoid things like that, but of course it was nice what he said," Albon told Sky Sports News ahead of this weekend's 2019 finale in Abu Dhabi.
"He sent me a couple of messages as well. So, all's very good.
"It was disappointing at the time but, in reflection, it was a good weekend for me. It was one of the first few times, Mexico as well, where I could mix it with the big boys and there were more positives than negatives.
"In the end it was just one little crash that kind of ruined the race but in reflection it was a good weekend."
Albon's surge to second in the order included a bold around-the-outside overtake of Ferrari four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.
"The overtaking is there, but most of it has been from coming through the pack with having a bad qualifying or penalties," added Albon.
"It was nice to do that on Sebastian, obviously, but hopefully more to come and more chances to do that kind of thing."
The last race of the 2019 F1 season takes place in Abu Dhabi this weekend, and will be exclusively live on Sky Sports F1.
