Williams F1 dealt blow as Alex Albon is ruled out of Italian GP due to appendicitis

New Delhi, India

Williams driver Alex Albon is slated to miss out on the opportunity to compete in the upcoming Italian Grand Prix as he was diagnosed with appendicitis.

However, his absence from the race has opened the door for the former Formula 2 and Formula E champion Nyck De Vries to participate in the premiere motor racing format in the world.

The team came out with a statement, revealing that the Thai driver had been declared unfit to participate in the race, and will be receiving medical attention sooner rather than later.

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“Williams Racing can confirm that, after feeling unwell this morning and seeking medical advice from the FIA and local hospital, Alex Albon is now undergoing treatment for appendicitis.

“Following on from this, we can confirm that the team’s Reserve Driver Nyck de Vries will drive in place of Alex for the remainder of the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Alex is in good spirits and the team wishes him a speedy recovery,” the team said in the statement.

However, Albon himself managed to see the bright side of his predicament, offering his fans an update regarding his situation with a hilarious post on social media. 

"Appendicitis, surgery and no racing isn’t what I was expecting this weekend! Negatives: - Missing out on what looks like a strong weekend for us - Pain Positives - Weight reduction for Singapore - Cool scars," wrote Albon on Twitter.

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Albon's weekend was going swimmingly up until the point he was ruled out of active contention due to his medical situation. He managed to bag 10th in FP2 and 11th in FP1, as Williams were poised to be in the thick of the battle for points. 

Whether the Grand Prix debutant Nyck de Vries will be able to exploit Williams' straight line speed like Albon to earn the team some much-needed points is something that remains to be seen.