Alexander Albon’s contract with Williams has been extended, and he will continue to race for the team through 2023 as part of a new, multi-year deal.
Following a number of significant announcements over the past few days, such as Sebastian Vettel’s retirement and Fernando Alonso’s unexpected departure from Alpine, Williams Racing has clarified yet another aspect of the driver market by announcing that Alex Albon will continue to be a part of its driver lineup through the 2023 Formula One World Championship and even beyond.
The Thai-British driver, who had spent the previous season on the sidelines, joined the Grove-based team at the start of the current campaign and has since dazzled with outstanding efforts, including his first points-scoring race for Williams in Melbourne, Australia.
“It’s really exciting to be staying with Williams Racing for 2023 and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team in the remainder of this season and next year,” Albon said on his contract extension.
“The team is pushing hard to progress, and I am really motivated to continue this journey and further develop our learnings together.”
Williams Team Principal Jost Capito said: “Alex is a tremendous driver and valued member of Williams Racing, so we’re thrilled to be able to confirm we will be working with him on a long-term basis.”
“Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future.”
“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.”
Albon made his racing debut in 2019 with Toro Rosso before moving up to Red Bull in the middle of the season. However, after a difficult 2020 season, Albon was demoted to a test and reserve driver duty. In 2022, the Anglo-Thai replaced George Russell, who was headed to Mercedes, joining Nicholas Latifi at Williams.
However, Albon’s 2023 teammate’s identity is still a mystery. Despite being generally anticipated to quit after the current season, Nicholas Latifi has been racing for Williams since 2020.
Oscar Piastri was the subject of loan negotiations between Williams and Alpine, but these appear to have fallen through as the Australian pursued a McLaren ride after turning down the Alpine ride left vacant by Fernando Alonso’s move to Aston Martin.
Young driver Logan Sargeant will make his FP1 debut for Williams in Austin after the team was impressed by his progress in F2 through 2022, although he still needs to earn the necessary Super Licence points.
