Alex Albon signs 'multi-year' extension at Williams F1 team

F1

Alex Albon will remain a Williams driver for the coming seasons, the team has announced

Williams driver Alex Albon at the 2022 Austrian GP

Albon will carry on racing for Williams in the coming seasons

Williams

Alex Albon has signed a “multi-year” extension with Williams, the F1 team has announced.

The Thai-British driver, who has been linked with McLaren and Alpine amongst others, said it was “really exciting” to carry on with a team which has helped him rebuild his F1 reputation after a year out following being dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2020.

On his return this season, Albon put in an impressive drive from last to 10th at the Australian GP, and also scored points in Miami, comfortably outpacing his team-mate Nicholas Latifi who has been at the team for three years.

Albon’s performances meant his name was linked to other vacancies on the F1 grid, particularly in light of the Alpine-Oscar Piastri row unfolding, but now Williams has put speculation to bed by announcing him for “2023 and beyond”, making it likely he has a 1-year deal with an option to carry on beyond that.

“I’m here for 2023 and beyond,” said Albon in an announcement video, joking that he’d be with the team until he’s 45. “It’s been good year this year.”

Pointing to the Williams trophy cabinet, he said: “We wanted more but this is the goal and that’s what we’re going for.

“It’s nice to have some peace of mind, obviously, going forwards about my career and then to be with Williams.

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“Obviously we’ve had a really good start to the season. Really enjoyed my time here. I’m really happy for the future.

“For the rest of the season we have keep our heads down. We’re going to focus on maximising the car and doing the best job we can. To know that it goes beyond that is very exciting.”

“Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future,” said Williams team boss Jost Capito.

“He’s a fierce competitor, has proved a popular and loyal team member and we are delighted that he will provide a stable base for us to continue to develop in this new F1 car era.”

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