Albon doesn't think RB16 has been weakened by the new rules: "Look at AlphaTauri"

For Red Bull Racing, qualifying at the Monza circuit was downright disappointing. According to Alexander Albon, the RB16 didn't get any worse because of the new rules on engine settings.

During Q3 in qualifying, no notable things happened on Saturday. However, the Red Bull Racing team had to conclude afterwards that the performance was disappointing. Max Verstappen had to settle for fifth place on the grid, while Alexander Albon couldn't get any further than P9.

Remarkably, the downturn comes at the same time as the new rules, where teams are only allowed to use one engine setting for the entire weekend. Has Red Bull and Honda been hit hard by that rule? Albon doesn't think so. "I think it was definitely more about the circuit specifically. The Alpha Tauris have been strong all weekend but we'll see in Mugello. They're not only quick on the straights but they're good in the corners too," the driver said during an online press session organised by Red Bull Racing.

Different kind of qualifying at Monza?

Although the RB16 may not be strong at Monza, the British Thai said there are no obvious weaknesses on the track. "If you look at the GPS and see where we're strong or weak, there's not one place that really stands out. We lose a little bit through turns 4 and 5 but it's all very small. We want to be a little bit up on that but Mercedes have just been especially quick through sector 2".

There was also a problem with space on the track during qualifying. Many drivers were stuck behind other cars and couldn't set a fast time. Could a different type of qualifying be an option for certain circuits? "I think that would be fun but it's not an issue once you get to Q3, it's only a real problem in Q1. Q2 as well is not great but I wouldn't know how to change it," Albon concludes.