George Russell calls Alex Albon’s return to Singapore three weeks after a medical incident “audacious.”
Albon, a Williams driver, had respiratory failure after an appendectomy and spent almost 24 hours in critical care on a ventilator.
Russell of Mercedes commented, “It’s obviously daring to come back for the hardest race of the season having just just recovered.”
But it just serves to highlight his level of resilience and perseverance.
Albon stated on Thursday that he was leaving sooner than he had initially anticipated. However, he wouldn’t know for sure until after practice on Friday at Marina Bay if he could compete this weekend.
The 26-year-old described the situation as “quite a hard one” since while waiting for your lungs to recuperate, your body is essentially immobile.
“You can’t simply resume your regular workout right away. Instead, you must gradually get used to it.
READ MORE: Newcastle United Agrees Deal To Sign 18-year-Old Australian Forward
“We began pushing it and seeing what we could accomplish beginning on Monday last week. I approached the training and rehabilitation like a nine-to-five job. Recovery is highly significant.
In other words, we essentially threw everything at it, and day by day, it got better and better until we reached a point where the rehabilitation was going pretty well.
“I don’t believe we had Singapore in mind, but given how quickly things were improving, it was a possibility.
“We debated whether to go or not for a very long time, and I now feel prepared. However, driving around here is a bit of a different animal, so we’ll have to wait till tomorrow to find out where it is.
Russell said that throughout the Italian Grand Prix weekend, he had been worried about Albon’s well-being after learning about his buddy’s issues.
On the Saturday of the Monza race, Albon had surgery for appendicitis; after the procedure, he stopped breathing and was put under anesthesia and placed on a respirator. In time to see the race the next day, he was removed from it.
Because it seemed to be dangerous at one point, Russell stated, “I was in communication with his family on Saturday night.
“However, it’s rather astonishing to see how rapidly he healed. The human body is a terrifying object. It simply shows how things can shift almost entirely beyond your control from one minute when everything is perfect to the next. Watching how he does this weekend will be intriguing.
Singapore is the most challenging race of the year since it is the longest at over two hours, takes place on a long, bumpy track, and is in a humid, tropical setting.
“I am not at all concerned about the surgical aspect,” Albon said. I am aware that it is completely healed. More so, it’s the physical toll that being in critical care takes on your body. But I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel prepared to race.
We’re pragmatic and aware that we’re approaching the most challenging race of the year. So we must be conscious of that. But I’m feeling well. I felt OK when going karting.
Russell discussed the challenges that Singaporean racing presents to the drivers.
No matter how much preparation you get, you will never be able to duplicate the experiences you have while racing.
Every time I ride my bike or go to the gym, I train in at least three layers of clothing.
It’s very unpleasant. It’s amazing how poorly the body tolerates heat; even after spending a half-hour in the sauna. When I wasn’t even moving, my heart rate was well over 150–160. So we’ll be going over it in the vehicle. Then there is the matter of the physical and cognitive aspects.