The F1 circus is in full throttle, with the first triple-header of 2025 set to conclude at this weekend’s Saudi Arabian GP. It’s only the fifth race of the season, meaning 19 more rounds still lie ahead. However, Alex Albon is already feeling the strain of the packed schedule.
The Thai-British driver sat down with Carlos Sainz on the latest episode of Williams’ Team Torque podcast to share their thoughts on the fatigue setting in during this early triple-header.
When Sainz asked how he was holding up, the 29-year-old admitted it already feels like they’ve reached round 12 of the championship.
“It feels like race 12. To me, it feels like race 12. It just feels like we’ve done more than we’ve done,” Albon said, as he wondered why he felt that way.
He explained that part of the reason the fatigue is already setting in could be the extensive travel they’ve undertaken so far.
The season began in Australia, followed by an immediate trip to China for the second race weekend. After a brief one-week break, the Japanese GP kicked off the current triple-header, with Bahrain and Saudi Arabia completing the stretch.
Still, despite the grueling schedule, both Sainz and Albon have managed to find a few silver linings.
The Spaniard pointed out that having the Middle Eastern races back-to-back during a triple-header offered a welcome “change of pace.” For one, it cut down on travel time, as Bahrain is relatively close to Jeddah. And while the intense heat can take a toll on drivers physically, the fact that both events are night races makes it a bit easier to endure the hot and humid conditions.
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Albon agreed, adding that night race weekends offer more flexibility in their schedules. “Night races are good. We get to wake up a bit later, have a slower start,” he said. Sainz also pointed out that they stay in nice hotels with swimming pools, noting how Middle Eastern countries have developed a reputation for top-class hospitality in recent years.
Mornings at a venue like Jeddah can be relaxed and slow-paced for Sainz, Albon, and the other 18 drivers on the grid.
With F1’s schedule growing increasingly hectic each year—thanks to the addition of new races and sprint events—drivers are feeling the strain of constantly traveling to different countries on short notice. Double and triple headers only add to the pressure, and both drivers and their support crews have little choice but to adapt.
While many have criticized the expanding calendar and the resulting logistical challenges for their impact on physical and mental health, it seems F1 has no intention of slowing down its global expansion. The only concession so far has been a push to optimize and regionalize the calendar, aiming to make travel more seamless and sustainable for everyone involved.
