Williams F1 driver drives a Komatsu
By Adam Freill
Construction Equipment Equipment TechnologyAlex Albon visits the home of team Principal Partner Komatsu in Osaka Japan in lead up to Japanese Grand Prix.
Alex Albon visits the Komatsu Osaka Plant. (Photo courtesy of Komatsu)
Williams Racing driver Alex Albon visited the home of team principal partner Komatsu, in Osaka, Japan, meeting workers and even trying his hand at driving an excavator, in the lead up to the weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix.
Over 3,000 Komatsu employees greeted the 28-year-old upon his arrival at the site, adorned by cherry blossom, as the Japanese race moved to an earlier springtime slot on the calendar for this year. His arrival was appropriately aboard a Komatsu WA100 wheel loader.
At the company’s Komatsu Training Centre, Albon met with senior executive officer Koichi Honda, and several other executives and managers prior to revealing a Komatsu HB205 Hybrid Excavator branded in special Williams Racing colours that was created for the occasion.
Albon also visited the manufacturing plant, where he got the chance to swap his Williams Racing seat for that of a Komatsu excavator, operating the machine via remote control. He proved to be an instant hit, ably using the machinery, and once again showing his skills behind the wheel.
“There are lots of parallels between the Komatsu plant and our own Williams Racing factory in the UK, with technology and innovation and a team of passionate individuals all creating value together,” said Albon. “It was a pleasure to see and speak to so many of the employees, and also to get the chance to drive an excavator via remote control. It was a lot of fun and although I like my driving a bit faster, I could really understand why Komatsu is so passionate about its industry and technology – especially the hybrid digger that was given the Williams Racing treatment.”
“Komatsu and Williams have a great sense of shared values, with a common focus on the important role our people play in developing the most cutting-edge technical solutions in our respective fields,” said Honda. “Our team at Osaka really enjoyed the opportunity to compare F1 technology with Komatsu technology – and it was great to hear Alex’s thoughts on what it was like to operate an excavator.”
