Alexander Albon is anxious modifications to Monza for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix have spoiled the character of the championship’s oldest venue.
The 5.7-kilometre observe has been resurfaced forward of this yr’s race. The kerbs in a number of of its chicanes have been altered and gravel traps added on the Rettifilo and Roggia chicanes.
Albon wasn’t impressed with what he noticed of the alterations when he examined the observe on Thursday.
“I really feel prefer it’s possibly misplaced a little bit of its character,” mentioned the Williams driver. “I really feel like among the kerbs they’ve put in are slightly bit extra generic.
“Monza had fairly a particular model of observe. It was fairly bumpy, however that’s not a foul factor, and the kerbs have been fairly distinctive.
“Let’s see the way it goes. I believe there’s going to be loads of exploring in FP1 and FP2, with these kerbs, if you need to use them or not, and the way a lot you need to use them, will likely be a giant query mark.”
Nevertheless Lewis Hamilton mentioned drivers received’t know if the modifications have been a hit till after observe tomorrow. “I don’t wish to decide it earlier than I’ve pushed it,” he mentioned.
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“Possibly we’ll get in and it’ll be the best factor and best modifications ever. So I don’t wish to shoot myself within the foot with that.
“Finally, we cherished it earlier than. For years, it’s been super-bumpy in so many locations and that’s been an enormous a part of the character of what this observe is. The kerbs as effectively have been just about the identical for undoubtedly over 20 years, I might think about.
“So it’s a large, large change. However in the end, it’s nonetheless the identical observe. However we received’t know till tomorrow. It’s going to be lots smoother, it seems, and doubtless fairly a bit faster.”
Charles Leclerc agreed the observe’s floor wanted to be refreshed. “It’s troublesome to guage for now,” he mentioned. “The Tarmac, in the end, you get at one level the place you’ve received to resume the Tarmac.
“It’s not like there’s the selection of simply conserving the identical Tarmac for years and years and years as a result of at one level, you simply get too bumpy. And particularly with our Formulation 1 vehicles and the best way they’re run so low, the tracks need to renew that. So on that, I’m superb.
“On the kerbs, it’s true that some tracks have the historic kerbs. And even when they renew it, I believe in Canada it was achieved this yr the place they maintain precisely the identical form, which is sweet. However I haven’t tried but the brand new kerbs, possibly they really feel even higher in comparison with the outdated ones.”
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