F1 Stories

Albon shares SWEARY advice from F1 team boss

The F1 star says that it helped him massively during some tough times

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 30 November 2023 13:57

Williams driver Alex Albon has revealed that some unexpected words from outgoing AlphaTauri team boss Franz Tost helped him during his tough times with the Red Bull team.

The Thai-born driver suffered the consequences of having Max Verstappen as a team-mate whilst with Red Bull, only competing in 26 races for the team before being replaced by Sergio Perez.

A rejected Albon then managed to gain a seat at Williams for the start of the 2022 season, becoming rejuvenated as his team have made huge strides forward in 2023.

Article continues under video

Before being promoted into the Red Bull team, Albon started life on the Formula 1 grid with Toro Rosso. It was here where he met Tost.

Alex Albon started his F1 career at Toro Rosso, alongside Franz Tost

Alex Albon has enjoyed a brilliant season with Williams

Franz Tost left AlphaTauri after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, having been their team principal since 2006

Inspirational Tost

The Austrian ran as team principal of Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri) from their inception into the sport in 2006 all the way through to the most recent Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he has decided to call it a day.

Now, Albon has revealed on the High Performance Podcast that words from Tost gave him the confidence to keep moving forwards in his career.

“The best piece of advice I got given, which was at the start of my career was by a team boss called Franz Tost who, at the time the team was called Toro Rosso, and he’s an elder man but he’s been at it from the ground up, he’s one of them get your hands dirty kind of guys," Albon recalled.

“He told me the first time I met him, he was talking to me about Formula 1, I was a rookie obviously and he said ‘Alex, if there’s one thing you need to learn about Formula 1, it’s don’t give a f***'

“It doesn’t sound that deep, but it’s so true, and I didn’t really understand it until I went through the tough times, and that’s why we talk about putting yourself first and being selfish.

"That's when I started to really understand what he meant, because at the time it was 'I don't really give a f*** but actually I do' and, I think I cared too much at the beginning and it's strange for a team boss to say that because, at the end of the day, he wants you to care about the team.

"But he wasn't like that, he said 'You put yourself first', and that was it.”

Red Bull Max Verstappen Formula 1 Sergio Perez Williams Alex Albon