Williams doesn’t have a spare chassis on website however group principal James Vowles has confirmed that the choice exists to modify Albon to Logan Sargeant’s automotive 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 automotive at high-speed earlier than spearing throughout the monitor and putting the wall on the opposite aspect as effectively.
The group shortly confirmed that Albon, who was not injured within the impression, would sit out FP2.
It’s going to now give the broken chassis a radical examine by way of NDT [non-destructive testing] to find out if it may be repaired in a single day beneath a curfew joker.
The decision on whether or not or to not proceed with the work might be made this night after FP2.
“It was a reasonably large accident,” Vowles advised Motorsport.com. “The engine is broken, the gearbox is break up in two, and the chassis is broken.
“It is the worst you may have ever had. We don’t have a 3rd chassis right here, that is right. So now it is simply whether or not we will restore this one.
“We’ve restore kits, basically of these I am not but certain, 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 Pictures
Vowles revealed that if Albon’s chassis can’t be repaired, the decision might be made for him to take over Sargeant’s automotive because the senior driver and the person most certainly 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 need to see how FP2 is, I need to see how the automotive performs. I need to see what choices we have now obtainable to us on the chassis right here as effectively.”
If the decision is made for Albon to make use of Sargeant’s chassis the group should match an engine and gearbox from the previous’s personal pool.
Vowles admitted that Williams had taken a calculated danger in not having a spare chassis obtainable for the early races of the season.
“We’ve been very open and clear that we have been pushing every part 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 danger that you just 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 may’t have a significant accident. And it has not paid off in these circumstances.”
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