Alex Albon admits he is guilty of “teasing” George Russell about his “tough” plight at Williams.
Of the three Formula 2 drivers that made the jump to F1 for 2019, oddly it has been the third-placed Thai driver that has ended up in the strongest seat after switching to Red Bull at Spa.
By contrast, Russell, last year’s F2 champion, is the only driver without a point this season as the Grove-based squad struggle at the back of the grid.
“I do tease George, I am not going to lie. We banter about it all the time,” Albon told Press Association.
“George and I have always been fighting at the front, so it must be extremely tough for him.
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“He can do an amazing lap, but he knows that 19th is all he can achieve. I don’t know that feeling.
“But he is doing a top job and when he has a chance to show what he can do, he will. I know he is a good driver so I am not worried for him.”
As for Albon himself, his rapid rise has been one of the unexpected stories of this season having only joined Toro Rosso relatively late as a settlement was reached to extract him from a previously agreed Formula E contract with Nissan.
But now seemingly on course to keep his Red Bull seat for 2020, the prospect of a significant pay rise has the 23-year-old dreaming of a big move elsewhere.
“Hopefully in years to come I will earn more money and be able to move out, at the minute I am housebound, family housebound,” he revealed.
“Milton Keynes is a nice town and close to the Red Bull factory, but how do I say this? There are other places out there.
“Maybe I need to live somewhere else and have a more extravagant lifestyle? I would definitely like to go to London.
“I have been thinking about it, but, again, it is about money. I need to score some bonus points.”
Currently, Albon sits eighth in the Drivers’ standings but having failed to finish outside the top six since Belgium, would appear likely to close the 12-point gap to Carlos Sainz in P6.