Alexander Albon

Alexander Albon was set to race in Formula E in 2019 when Toro Rosso called him with the season almost under way. Twelve races later he was at Red Bull, partnering Max Verstappen, in the fastest promotion anyone can remember and into the seat that has broken more drivers than any other on the modern grid.

He lasted a season and a half, took two podiums and was out of Formula 1 in 2021. That year he raced in the DTM and worked as a reserve, and in 2022 he returned with Williams, the team with the worst car on the grid. That is where he has built the solid part of his career: scoring points in cars that do not score, which is a specific skill and not a consolation prize.

His seventh place in 2020 remains his best championship, the year of the good car. The interesting thing about his record is precisely that: the best result came with the best machinery at the worst personal moment, and what earned him credibility was what he did afterwards, without a car. It is the same pattern that repeats across half the grid and almost never shows up in a final classification.