Albon coy on Williams future but ‘everything moving quickly’

Alex Albon isn’t giving much away regarding his future in Formula 1 beyond this season, but the Williams charger is anticipating some significant movement in the drivers’ market over the coming weeks.

Albon's performances since rejoining F1 in 2022 have not gone unnoticed. Last year, the Anglo-Thai racer was almost single-handedly responsible for delivering to Williams its solid seventh-place finish in F1’s Constructors’ Championship, having scored all the team’s points save one.

While the British outfit’s results have been subdued so far this season, due to an under-developed FW46 and a succession of crashes, Albon remains a driver of interest, especially for Red Bull Racing which is believed to have tried to secure an option on its former driver’s services.

Albon is theoretically contracted to Williams for 2025, but team boss James Vowles has also hinted at a willingness to release its driver should a top team come knocking for next year.

However, Vowles has also expressed his desire to put together a line-up for 2025 that would accompany the team into F1’s all-important 2026 season and ensure stability on the driver front when the sport ushers in its next-generation chassis and engine regulations.

• Read also: Williams seeking ‘right driver pairing” for crucial two-year period

For now, however, Albon is keeping his cards close to his chest, but 2026 is certainly an important juncture on his horizon.

“Everything is moving early, very quickly, obviously Nico [Hulkenberg] has just pulled somewhat of a trigger at Sauber and I’m sure the second one is going to follow soon,” he said, quoted by Motorsport Week.

“Everything including my focus on where I go, not so much for next year but the year after, focusing on that side of things.

“These next couple of weeks are where the decisions for the whole grid is going to be finalised.”

There’s no doubt that Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell decision to leave Mercedes and switch his allegiance to Ferrari for 2025 has impacted the entire F1 landscape.

This unexpected development has thrown everything into flux, and Albon admits it's been a strange experience.

“Truthfully, I’ve never been in a fortunate position to have talks so early. It is new for everyone, not just myself.

“There’s a bit more work…you see a lot more managers walking around the paddock at this time of the year. He’s [his manager] out here for the first time this year.”

Albon acknowledges the importance of the 2025-2026 transition for teams. However, he downplays the idea that a strong showing in 2025 will be absolutely essential for an outfit to hit the ground running in 2026.

“2025/26 is a nice way to understand how the teams have conceptually designed their car and when you go to 2026 there is going to be such a huge difference to the car it’s nice to know where the DNA of the car is,” he said.

“It’s important just to get feedback, understanding the language, the communication, that is why teams are so focused on 2025-26 transition. Is it make or break? No.”

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