Behind the scenes with Aston Martin Red Bull Racing driver Alex Albon as he talks about the 2020 season the now viral video of he and teammate Max Verstappen driving through Holland.
Last week, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, was to be celebrating a first with one of their drivers Max Max Verstappen, in his first home Grand Prix in the Netherlands. It was also to be the first Dutch Grand Prix for 35 years. With racing still on hold, the team released a video of Max and teammate Alex Albon racing the Netherlands on a special road trip to Circuit Zandvoort in two Red Bull Racing RB8s.
The video quickly went viral as race fans stopped what they were doing to get a small taste of racing that is missed in our current daily lives. Now, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing invites you to look behind the curtain and get an exclusive look behind the scenes, in addition to reading about what Alex Albon had to say about the season and more.
“It was such an enjoyable experience,” said Albon. “This team is unique in the opportunities that are presented to us as drivers and this was one of them. We filmed during the winter, so I remember it being so cold. But to see the fans while filming and to see first hand how big Max (Verstappen) is in Holland was incredible. When we go to races we see the fans and their orange flags everywhere. We got stopped all the time by fans as we created this video.”
Not just the Dutch alone, but F1 fans are a ravid fan base and that passion would have been even more prevalent to see a fan base attend a race that had not been run in 35 years and Albon is getting to experience that more and more as he steps out from the massive shadow Verstappen creates.
“There is nothing that can beat the feeling of seeing pure passion and love from fans,” said Albon. “We love Formula 1. I love Formula 1. I have always wanted to be a Formula 1 driver and so personally my passion for the sport is at an all time high. But the fans, they travel from all over the world and bring a craziness and love for the sport that matches and can exceed the drivers passion for the sport.”
Not every person who dreams of being a Formula 1 driver gets to have that opportunity to make that dream a reality, but even less get to have that reality turn into being the Rookie Driver of the Year.
“I have been so fortunate to accomplish my first goal, and that was to be a driver on the highest Formula 1 circuit,” said Albon. “But once you meet one goal, my attention turns quickly to what is next. Winning Rookie of the Year was amazing and I took the time to celebrate that, but I was back mentally focused to the next season shortly thereafter. I wanted to build myself professionally in the offseason physically and mentally and prepare and better the places that I still find I want to work on.”
Max Verstappen performs during The Dutch Road Trip in Maasland, Netherlands on January 25, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140049 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon and Jeffrey Herlings perform during The Dutch Road Trip at Scheveningen beach in The Hague, Netherlands on January 27, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140062 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon perform during The Dutch Road Trip in Rotterdam, Netherlands on January 25, 2020 // Rob Smalley / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004170047 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon perform during The Dutch Road Trip in Naaldwijk, Netherlands on January 26, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140070 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen shows Alexander Albon a few highlights of The Netherlands at Noordeinde palace on the Dutch Road Trip on January 27, 2020 
Max Verstappen performs during The Dutch Road Trip in Naaldwijk, Netherlands on January 26, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140065 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen, Alexander Albon and Jeffrey Herlings perform during The Dutch Road Trip at Scheveningen beach in The Hague, Netherlands on January 27, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140044 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon perform during The Dutch Road Trip in The Hague, Netherlands on January 27, 2020 // Rob Smalley / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004170072 // Usage for editorial use only // 
Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon perform during The Dutch Road Trip in Maasland, Netherlands on January 25, 2020 // Rutger Pauw / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202004140061 // Usage for editorial use only //
However, with races being postponed due to COViD-19, that preparation time has been extended and drivers are finding any way to get that edge.
“You try to create that race day mindset in any way that you can,” said Albon. “I enjoy the virtual/online races at the moment because it is the closest way you can find the adrenaline that comes from an actual race day. It is quite interesting that I find myself more nervous for online races than the real thing because there is still a newness that comes from the simulator. I am comfortable in my car and I know what to expect, and at times where I cannot predict what is going to happen via the simulator. Unlike other professional sports, they cannot pick up a video game and play it and have the same training that a driver can get from a simulator.”
Albon has found though that this pause has allowed for exploration into the uncomfortable areas of breaking the routine to build mental toughness.
“I am very routine. I have a set way in which I prepare to drive and race. I enjoy being in control of the situation. But in a time like this, an uncontrollable situation and where we are given an extended off season, we have time to open and explore into other areas that do not follow the routine and experiment with it. We evaluate how we as a driver perform in situations that we cannot control. We want to see what works and what doesn’t and now is as great of a time to explore while we are not under the pressures of weekly race preparation. Driving in the simulator and doing the film project has lessons and skills that I can extrapolate and use to grow as a driver.”
“I do feel more prepared as an individual but it will be hard to tell if all of this off season preparation will be beneficial or not. When we do get back to racing, the driver who takes the least amount of time to get back to the level needed to be at the top will, or the driver who has lost the least amount of edge, will be the focus and secret of the first few races. Racing is coming, it is time to get into the mindset for racing as a driver. We as drivers are all very anxious to get behind the wheel and see that green flag drop.”
When asked if Albon was fortunate to drive the car on the snow, similar to the video his teammate Verstappen did on the world famous skill downhill course Kitzbuhel, his replay was no. But he stated he has raced a lawn mower. Who’s in for a mower race with F1 drivers?