Williams driver Alexander Albon criticizes random checks on the underbody and calls for complete checks of all cars—despite time pressure for the FIA.
The discussion about the underbody rules continues to gather momentum after McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas. Alexander Albon has now also spoken out, voicing clear criticism of the way the FIA enforces the regulations. “My problem is not with the rule itself, but with how it is enforced,” says the Williams driver. He considers the random tests that are usually used to be “difficult” and potentially unfair.
Albon argues that, in theory, teams could “drive the car to the limit” without getting caught as long as they are not randomly selected—an imbalance that he views critically. “I would prefer to see all 20 cars checked every weekend,” he explains. “Then it would be really fair.”
He admits that the FIA simply does not have the time for this: full checks are extremely time-consuming and sometimes require the vehicles to be partially dismantled. Nevertheless, he is bothered by the principle of random selection: “It’s this random principle that’s a bit difficult. But yes: rules are rules.”
Albon: That’s how sensitive the setup work is
Albon explains why the teams push themselves so hard to the limit by pointing to the enormous sensitivity of the current cars. “These cars are incredible now,” he emphasizes. “We adjust the ride height according to the wind we expect on race day.” Even a slight headwind on the straight can change the entire aerodynamic behavior and thus the ground clearance.
Sprint weekends like Las Vegas exacerbate the problem: “You hardly have any running time, you have to play it safe—and sometimes you sit there on Sunday and think: We could have gotten a lot more out of it because we hardly had any wear on the plank.” But that’s just a side effect of the current generation of rules.
No quick solution in sight
Albon doesn’t believe that the issue will suddenly be resolved with the new regulations, even though ground effect is unlikely to be as prominent with the new ones coming in 2026. “It will be less extreme, but it will remain a topic of conversation,” he says.
The basic philosophy of running the car as low to the ground as possible will continue to exist, whether at the front or the rear. This means that there will likely be further discussion in the future about whether the spot checks are sufficient or whether teams can slip through gray areas.