With 24 races on the Formula 1 calendar, each weekend presents a new set of challenges for drivers.
Alex Albon has 118 Grand Prix starts to his name, having made his debut with Toro Rosso in 2019.
A move to Red Bull followed by a one-season hiatus eventually led to a move to Williams, where he’s quickly closing in on becoming their most experienced driver.
Albon has a Williams contract that runs until at least the end of 2026, which by then would see him overtake Ralf Schumacher and Nigel Mansell and become the first driver in Formula 1 history to reach a century of races with the team.
DRIVERGRAND PRIX STARTSNigel Mansell95Ralf Schumacher94Riccardo Patrese81Alex Albon80*Felipe Massa78F1 drivers with the most Grand Prix starts for Williams
In that time, he’s raced at plenty of different tracks, and some stand out more than others.
He might wish Mugello would return after its one-off event in 2020, as it’s where he earned his first F1 podium.
Thailand is pushing to host an F1 race soon, which would allow Albon to experience what many other drivers enjoy during the season of the backing of a home crowd.
He’s now admitted that a ‘ridiculous’ circuit on the 2025 F1 calendar might be too narrow to properly race at, but he still loves it anyway.
READ MORE: Williams star Alex Albon’s life outside F1 with net worth, girlfriend to parents
Photo by Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAlex Albon says Zandvoort is ‘way too narrow’ to be a Formula 1 circuit
Albon was asked on the P1 with Matt and Tommy Podcast to rank different circuits, and Imola against Zandvoort was the first match-up.
The Williams driver explained when talking about the Dutch Grand Prix: “I can’t take too long to choose, but I would say personally speaking, I like Zandvoort.
“It’s hardcore. It’s way too narrow to be a Formula 1 track, but that’s what makes it good.
“Yes, it seems ridiculous what we’re doing, and I’m all for it.”
Going into the next round, Albon then admitted that he preferred Zandvoort over Interlagos.
“I don’t like Brazil,” Albon admitted. The Thai driver continued: “I find it, even though we just said Zandvoort’s kind of like a go-kart track, Brazil feels like that.
“I think it’s because these cars are so heavy now, and they lose so much downforce in low-speed corners. It feels like you’re turning a bus around a track. It’s just so lazy.
“I think in a lot of corners, you can do different lines.”
Albon then chose Zandvoort over the Canadian Grand Prix, before it eventually lost out to the Circuit of the Americas.
READ MORE: Five unforgettable Dutch Grand Prix including Prost and Piquet’s drama
Formula 1 preparing to say goodbye to the Dutch Grand Prix after the 2026 season
F1 has reached 24 race weekends in a season, and while the current Concorde Agreement allows a 25th event to be added to the calendar, Formula One Group chief Stefano Domenicali has ruled out that possibility at this stage.
It means that for any new circuits to be added to the schedule, a current track needs to drop off.
Zandvoort will lose its permanent spot on the F1 calendar in 2026, with Imola disappearing this year, and Barcelona heading in the same direction.
Friday 29th August to Sunday 31st August
Friday 29th August 10:30 1st Practice Friday 29th August 14:00 2nd Practice Saturday 30th August 09:30 3rd Practice Saturday 30th August 13:00 1st Qualifying Saturday 30th August 13:25 2nd Qualifying Saturday 30th August 13:48 3rd Qualifying Sunday 31st August 13:00 Race
Spa will become a rotational circuit in the schedule, allowing for plenty of new tracks to make their mark on the sport.
The support Max Verstappen receives at Zandvoort has made it a particularly exciting event in recent years, even if he lost out to Lando Norris last season.
He will want to return to winning ways in front of his home fans, but it’s much more likely that two drivers wearing orange will be celebrating than the four-time world champion whose fans are synonymous with that colour around the world.