FILE – Formula One driver Alex Albon, of Williams Racing, arrives in the paddock ahead of the first practice session ahead of the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix auto race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod, near Budapest, Hungary, July 21, 2023. Albon is under contract at Williams through 2025 and Lewis Hamilton’s impending move from Mercedes to Ferrari should not be an opening for rival Formula One teams to start calling Albon. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos, File)
Alex Albon is under contract at Williams through 2025 and Lewis Hamilton’s impending move from Mercedes to Ferrari should not be an opening for rival Formula One teams to start calling Albon.
“Alex is signed with Williams until the end of 2025. It is not something I have been very public about because I have not felt the need to,” Williams team principal James Vowles said Monday after the team revealed its liveries for the upcoming season.
“It is our job at Williams to create an environment that deserves someone of the caliber of Alex. He is an incredible driver that deserves his place toward the front of the grid.”
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Albon has already been linked to Red Bull, which heads into a contract year with Sergio Perez. Mercedes will also obviously have an opening when seven-time champion Hamilton leaves for Ferrari at the end of 2024.
Albon admitted there have been outside conversations about his future. The 27-year-old, who holds dual British and Thai nationality and races under the Thai flag, said his management team handles all talks.
Albon said he’s focused on the start of the 2024 season and learning firsthand if Williams has made any improvement. Albon is entering his fifth F1 season, and third consecutive with Williams. He started his career in 2019 with Red Bull’s junior team but was dropped by Red Bull in 2020.
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Albon last season scored 27 points to help Williams finish seventh in the constructors’ championship, the team’s best result in six years.
“Some of his drives last year were no different to other champions I have worked with in the past,” said Vowles, who worked with Hamilton at Mercedes. “He and I have good chats about how we want to move forward, and how we want to move forward is by having our journey together in this team for a long time.
“Would I stand in Alex’s way? I have the responsibility of Williams on my shoulders and that is the most important thing to me, not the responsibility toward one individual, in this case Alex, but to the team.”
Albon said if Williams is performing, he’s content remaining with the organization.
“Let’s see. Time will tell,” Albon said. “The real focus is on 2024 and making progress for 2025. That is where I am at. If the team is where I want them to be, it will be a long-term contract and we are going to go all the way or nothing.”