Alex Albon has become the latest driver to commit his long-term future after signing a new multi-year contract with Williams Racing ahead of the 2024 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Williams has confirmed that Albon will be remaining with the team after signing a multi-year contract extension as F1 prepares for a new era with the new chassis and power unit regulations that will go into effect in 2026.
Other than affirming that it is a “multi-year contract extension,” the Grove based outfit has not disclosed a precise expiration date for the deal, implying that it at the very least extends into 2026 and 2027.
The 28-year-old Thai driver’s contract extension will be considered as a huge victory for Williams, given that he quickly established himself as the team’s star driver after joining in 2022.
Albon made his Formula 1 debut in 2019 alongside Danlil Kvyat at Toro Rosso, however he was only with the team for a brief period of time. After the Hungarian Grand Prix, he was promoted to the senior Red Bull team where he partnered with Max Verstappen after replacing Pierre Gasly.
Albon had a successful first half season with Red Bull and proceeded to rank eighth in the World Drivers’ Championship with 92 points at the end of the season; 76 of those points came from his nine races at Red Bull. He also took up the Rookie of the Year award, overcoming George Russell and Lando Norris in the process.
However, things took a bad turn during the Thai’s second season with the Milton Keynes squad. He finished seventh in the Championship and was well over 100 points behind his teammate Verstappen at the end of his second F1 campaign.
In 2021, Albon was demoted to the role of test and reserve driver and replaced by Sergio Pérez as Red Bull and Helmut Marko are particularly known for their brutal termination of their F1 drivers’ contracts if they underperform.
Albon later joined Williams in 2022 and has delivered exceptional performance in his fifirst two seasons with the team. He went on to record his maiden points finish for the team at the Australian Grand Prix, where he made his one and only pit stop with one lap left, demonstrating incredible skill to stick with a single set of hard compound tyres.
Albon has established himself as Williams’ leading driver since his return as the squad finished eighth in the constructors’ rankings last season which was their best finish since 2017, thanks to the 28 points he single-handedly secured.
His previous contract kept him at Williams through 2025 but with the new deal, he will be guaranteed a spot with the team for 2026, when F1 will introduce its newest technical regulations. Although Williams has yet to record their first point in F1 2024, Albon expressed his confidence in the effort to bring Williams back to the front of the grid, citing the team’s general optimism under chief James Vowles.
“I am incredibly happy to be remaining with Williams Racing and to continue working with such a talented and dedicated team of people,” Albon said.
“It has been a difficult start to the year but since joining Williams we have made significant progress together and I have seen the huge changes happening behind the scenes to take us back to the front of the grid.
“This is a long-term project that I really believe in and want to play a key role in which is why I have signed a multi-year contract. The journey will take time but I am confident we are building the right team to move forward and achieve great things in the years to come.”
Vowles has decades of expertise working with highly successful Formula 1 teams. He was instrumental in Mercedes’ eight-year winning streak of Constructors’ titles from 2014 to 21 serving as the team’s chief strategy officer.
He believes that Albon is a “big piece of the puzzle” that will help him achieve his ambition of returning Williams to the top spot.
“We are delighted to secure Alex’s long-term future with Williams Racing,” said Vowles. “He has exceptional talent, technical input and dedication to the cause and this is a huge vote of confidence in Williams and the journey back to competitiveness that we are on.
“Since joining, Alex has consistently demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, and signing him for the long-term is a big piece of the puzzle of moving us up the grid.”
Albon’s teammate for 2025 remains unknown while Logan Sargeant is under increasing pressure to secure a third season with the team as he finds it challenging to match the lead driver’s performance.
