Flashback: Hungary 2021

The closed season is always a good time for reflection, so I’ve picked out two of my favourite moments from last year. First, here is a look back at the Hungarian Grand Prix, and some memories that will stay with me forever.

With Williams not scoring a point since the 2019 German Grand Prix, my P7 and George’s P8 meant we secured 10 points in one hit at Budapest. It brought the long wait to an end and was a big, big result for the team.

It was a weekend that also moved us up to P8 in the Constructors’ Championship – a position that we held onto until the end of the season. That’s massive. Not just for morale, but also because of the financial benefit for the team.

On the personal note, they were my first Formula One points after a lot of very hard work. Obviously, we had a little bit of fortune with the chaotic start, but that’s sometimes how shock results, shock podiums and wins come about.

The race result wasn’t sealed on the first lap and we still had to deal with a very long and challenging race. I had to take advantage of the opportunity and seal things.

It was also the team’s first double points finish since the 2018 Italian Grand Prix and that was a huge boost for everyone at Williams after a very tough couple of seasons. It was a great reward – particularly as it came just before the summer break in August.

It was nice to see people go into that holiday with a smile on their faces. And I think events in Hungary served as a catalyst for us scoring another 10 points at Spa three weeks later. It was a fantastic phase of the season.

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