Alex Albon wants to payback "true gentleman” Logan Sargeant with points

Alex Albon feels scoring points in the Australian Grand Prix would be the best way to “payback” Williams F1 teammate Logan Sargeant.

Williams made a controversial call to give Sargeant’s chassis to Albon after the latter caused irreparable damage to his car in a huge crash during first practice and it emerged the team did not have a spare in Melbourne.

Albon went on to qualify 12th for Sunday’s grand prix, two places outside of the points and behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.

With Williams effectively opting to sacrifice Sargeant’s weekend, Albon is determined to repay his American teammate, who he described as being a “true gentleman”.

"He's been a true gentleman, he's been a true team player in this whole situation," Albon said of Sargeant.

"We chat, we always chat, we're very open as a team. I was helping him in FP2 and when the decision was made he was helping me.”

Asked what it was like taking his teammate’s car, Albon replied: “A different feeling, a weird feeling, if I'm honest.

"It's one thing making a mistake and the pressure of trying to deliver a performance in qualifying, but it's another feeling when you've been given responsibility, and I take that responsibility, it's not lost on me.

“So yeah, it was tough. But at the same time the only thing you can do is focus on your job and put it all behind you and treat the weekend like a normal weekend.

"We're obviously a session down but generally that's all I can really do, and so far we've done a good job, and just got to keep it going, and the ultimate kind of payback to Logan would be some points.”

Williams team principal James Vowles explained the reason to favour Albon was because they feel the British-born Thai racer presents the team’s best chance of scoring points in Melbourne.

Williams are also set to be without a spare chassis at the next race in Japan in two weeks time.