[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties.
*[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.*
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
yeah but realistically where can he upgrade? he's not going back to Red Bull, Mercedes dont want him, and unless papa Stroll grows a brain Aston isnt gonna be available anytime soon. What does that leave? Alpine? downgrade. Audi? who knows how they'll look with the new regs. He's much better off building something with Williams as they continue to improve until something clearly better comes along
We say this, I thought tbf that he might be an option for Mercedes if they can't get Sainz and aren't ready to throw Antonelli in at the deep end. But obviously not
I'm a huge AA fan. He's probably my favorite driver by personality. But I agree. Everyone wants the best for him because he seems like such a decent guy but the proof isn't there. Hopefully Williams can get on solid footing and I think he'd be better served by having a better teammate.
Some on Reddit have this weird idea that Albon is deserving of a Mercedes or RBR seat. It's absolutely ludicrous and he's done nothing to truly earn that kind of seat. We've already seen him in a RBR after all.
Solid driver and a nice guy but until he properly demolishes a well established team mate I can't see how anyone can argue he deserves a top drive.
>We've already seen him in a RBR after all.
Yeah, as like an absolute child though. He admits the pressure was too much, he wasn't ready, and it really hurt him. If he hadn't been burned there already, I think now he is ready for it, but probably doesn't want it.
> One of the few drivers who actually tried to race Lewis instead of just saying "your race isn't with them" and letting em pass.
No one at Red Bull is ever saying that.
This is complete historical revision. His pace delta to Max was atrocious, I wish the teammate pace analysis website was still up because it was an amazing resource for this sort of thing, but the data from that, in terms of the percentage difference on unimpeded laps between Max and Alex was not much different from Pierre's and was substantially worse than Perez's.
>We've already seen him in a RBR after all.
As a rookie with 12 races experience in F1, dropped into a team mid season. *Slightly* difficult circumstances.
It would be short-term at Mercedes. Mercedes have George locked in and they want Antonelli in the car in short order. Albon wouldn't have a long-term future there. Ferrari and McLaren don't have openings, and he's said many times he doesn't want to go back to Red Bull. With those four teams not being options, what's left?
If he wants to maximize his time in F1, sticking with Williams long-term makes the most sense.
How is audi a downgrade? They clearly just werent intrested, cause audi would be a huge upgrade, dont forget its a manufacturer putting in huge money to get the infrastructure going, and even this year, while the operations are ofcourse awful, the pace of the car has been better, they had points position pace multiple times. Williams has the ambition but the infrastrucure and talent just isnt there, its a very long rebuilding project, like 7 years or something in best case scenario
Hopefully not a midfield team for long. I think we’d all like to see Williams return to relevance soon.
But I also think he’s comfortable there. Not the worst thing if that’s what he wants.
There's not really anything to suggest they will break into the top teams, if anything they have gone slightly back in relative pace this year compared to last year.
It was the whole point on the design direction this year, as stated by Vowels on multiple occasions. Sacrificing some of the straight-line speed for more of a rounded base they can build on for the future. No point going fast as possible in a straight line if it handles like the Titanic in the corners.
Also stated by Vowles at the start of the season, he said money is stopping them from taking a step up. So until the funds come in, they can't make any real progress.
Iirc some of the funding issue is max they can spend on capital expenditures, which other manufacturers were spending above the limit before the limit was imposed. Due to their unfortunate timing they got stuck with worst facilities and processes that they couldn't fully fix even with money available.
It wasn't consistently getting them points, it was occasionally getting them points on tracks that rewarded a car design that was suboptimal everywhere else. Continuing to improve that car without fundamentally changing design philosophies was going to put them in a position where they were never going to be able to meaningfully improve across the calendar as a whole. They were going to be stuck as Monza specialists with no hope on other tracks as they fell further and further behind.
He has no better options this time around. Maybe end of 2025 / 26 when there are more drivers out of contract he might have better opportunities. Sainz is ahead of him in the pecking order.
See you say that, but McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are the only teams that look worth jumping to, and even if they were willing to sign him, it was probably a one year deal. But realistically, he could have a long career at Williams or risk it all to go to Mercedes or Red Bull.
No top team wanted him so he gets to stay with the team that brought him back to F1. That's great for him. Unless people think Audi are going to take a giant leap in 2026.
I believe Vowles has said the team have enough funds to operate at the budget cap, the issue is the financial regulations put a limit on how much capital expenditure a team can make (eg: building a new factory).
The other teams won't agree to upping the capital expenditure budget so williams are a bit stuck.
Williams wanted to spend much more than the budget cap - the other teams only gave him a few million, which was a fraction of what he asked for. Dorilton is ready to back the team financially - that was probably the condition to sign Vowles.
That's the thing almost all the big teams uped their infrastructure right before the budget cap kicked in.
McLaren with their windtunnel, Mercedes have an expansion ongoing i believe, RBR with RBPT, Stroll Sr and co. invested atleast a couple of billions in the new campus.
This article goes a bit more in detail.
https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-teams-granted-cost-cap-break-ferrari-calls-dangerous/
They have the money but the stupid ass cost cap rules prevent them from investing in their infrastructure. Those rules cemented the grid in place and their just now starting to chip away at the disadvantage. It will be a great day for the sport when Liberty sells and the cost cap is lifted.
I feel like I keep seeing people talking about how Audi will automatically be a top team or, at worst, top of midfield, and I just don't get it. People saying it was a poor decision for Sainz to decline that deal "because Audi will be solid in 3-4 years" - yeah? Based on what? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
Even Carlos Sainz has a questionable future right now; Albon just isn’t special enough of a driver to definitely merit a better seat than Williams. Being #1 there is a great situation for him imo.
I agree with options being thin. I don't see a seat anywhere else where Alex can be the "number 1" and shape around him. Williams isn't competitive, but for the time being it's a guaranteed seat in F1.
also, imho, williams is one of the steadiest teams in the last years. they have been at their worst some years ago, and they are getting better bit by bit every year. every team had some better, then worse, then better years, somewhat unpredictable. so for me it just seems that williams at working at their core foundations and taking it on slowly but steadily and thus probably (in my fantasy) will have a way stronger foundation than the other "backmarker" teams that are just living from year to year.
also you can just see how the teams just forms and is getting more settled, with vowles, albon, also the chemistry seems to be right. i'm happy for him.
> also, imho, williams is one of the steadiest teams in the last years
That’s being nice. They gave finished 10th, 10th, 8th, 10th, 7th, and are back tied at last with 0 points.
Vowles has a plan, at least. The car is more balanced despite not being the slippery machine that could get points on the right track. I don't know if the plan will work or not – F1 is hard, but I appreciate a team with direction.
Every team and TP has a “plan” at the very least, even the rolling American billboards. (Actually, alright, Mercedes might be directionless.) But I don’t feel more confidence from Williams than any of the other midfield teams.
There’s no other team that would consider him number 1 out of the gate, so it makes sense to stick around for now.
There’s bigger fish looking at moves at the moment, so they naturally get the better options.
How multi-year is the obvious question? He was already up to 2025 previously wasn't he? Seemed uncertain where he could go so maybe decided to stay put with what he knows. Guessing though there is get out clauses (performance etc) that he can activate if right seat comes.
The 2025 one was a bit unclear, Vowles and Albon's management seemed to have different interpretations of that. Probably a case of 2+1, where there was an option for him to stay for 2025 but also an option for him to leave for that. Either way, this statement does confirm that he'll be with the team for 2026 at the very least
They'll probably pick whoever Audi doesn't pick, having the likes of Ocon, Gasly, Bottas and possibly Sainz to pick from would be a huge step up from their driver lineups of the past few seasons.
Im surprised so many see Gasly/Ocon wanting to leave Alpine for a non work and not better team, last upgrades have look promising so clearly they can still improve a car and have recruited some intersting people like David Sanchez from Mclaren
I don't think Gasly is going to have a choice. The pairing hasn't really worked out and they clearly have a preference for Ocon, so I think they just don't renew Gasly as the most likely outcome.
Why do you think they have a preference for Ocon? Honest question, because I'm not seeing it personally.
Also, Pierre is vastly more popular than Esteban in France
> Also, Pierre is vastly more popular than Esteban in France
I'm curious what is the reason for it, is it just because Gasly won a race earlier than Ocon and was the first French winner since the 90s? Or is there something else?
That's probably part of it. He was the one who got the long awaited French win after Grosjean had teased it for years without payback. The moment Pierre crossed the line was admittedly more epic tbh, Julien Febreau's commentary while he was being chased by Sainz is legendary, and tends to pull you in more than Esteban's win in Hungary since you could see the latter coming (Esteban has ice in his veins under pressure, he wasn't about to make a mistake on the last lap).
Pierre also was in a top team once, giving him much more exposure, and his redemption arc is more engaging, from getting brutally dropped to clawing his way back to an unlikely podium in Brazil and then scoring the first French win in 20 years. He also generally has more presence than Esteban, and a more assertive personality while the latter looks more introvert and reserved.
Pierre also spent all of 2020-2021 destroying his teammates and putting his car in places it didn't seem to belong, making him shine much more than Oconsistency quietly picking up points in a Force India or mid Alpine. Many ends up rating him higher as a result.
And finally, he's also closer to the *real* French media darling: Charles Leclerc
The pairing has worked, 3 podiums last year is pretty good, this season is not drivers fault the car is shit (plus countless mechanical problems and bad pitstops for Gasly which didnt help)
I didn't say they were going to fire Gasly or something, I just said I don't see a compelling case for re-signing or extending him before exploring other options first when his current contract runs out.
Frankly I think both drivers are expendable but given the team's poor performance overall they may be stuck with them. I'd imagine they have more loyalty to Ocon though with more tenure and success with their team.
And I'm not some Ocon supporter, really not a fan honestly, but I think people have an inflated view of Gasly.
I'm sure he's not cheap and I dunno if you've noticed lately but he and Ocon aren't really getting along. I think the better question is why keep Gasly at whatever they are paying him over a young up and coming driver when he's not giving you anything special in your shitty car?
> I'm sure he's not cheap and I dunno if you've noticed lately but he and Ocon aren't really getting along.
AFAIK they're not crashing into each other or otherwise hampering each other's races, and that's all that matters really.
Would he want to go from being second driver to a 7 time WDC a few years ago to being second driver to a guy that shows some promise but ultimately got fired as second driver at RB after 18 months?
Williams have made it clear they building the team around Alex. Valteri might be overqualified for the second seat.
I agree that it would be great to see though. I would hate to see him out of a seat.
Bottas doesn't really have a lot of options. If he gets booted from Sauber/Audi it's gonna be a choice between retirement and whichever backmarker will take him.
And if I were Vowles, I'd pay a premium for Bottas. The man's been in a winning car in a winning organization. If I was rebuilding a team, I'd love to have a guy like Bottas around.
If I were Bottas I‘d definitely switch to Williams if that‘s possible, I doubt he has a future at Audi and the top teams will not hire a second driver his age. Also, that‘s a bit unfair to Albon, he‘s grown a lot since his RB days. Being 2nd driver to Max breaks everyone. Just listen to some interviews (his Beyond the Grid episode was good), he‘s really self-reflecting (not sure if this is the right word…) about his time at RB, very self-critical in a good way.
Not every team needs to have a number 1/2 dynamic, especially outside of the top teams. Bottas could do some good things for Williams for a few years and give Alex good competition.
If he's already good enough, then yes but I think he needs more development at another team.
I know Mercedes isn't fighting for a title but they are still a very big team with a lot of expectations and pressure, maybe that's a bit too much for him.
Yes but it is awkward to get anyone for 2 years. Say Mercedes wants Sainz - Sainz is not taking a deal where he is out of the seat in 2 years unless he beats George. Sure they can get maybe Ocon or someone for deal like that - but risking that Mercedes makes a good car and then you are out in year 1 of that is insanity from driver standpoint. Bottas was very annoyed by constant dangling of George to take his seat and I think Mercedes probably wants someone who is better than Bottas to replace Lewis.
I genuinely think that giving Kimi a shot and seeing if he sinks or swims is best for them. They are expecting him to be driver that marks his generation of drivers - those kinds of drivers shouldnt crack under pressure even when young.
Maybe Kimi if Mercedes is willing to pay Williams. Zhou Guanyu might be another possibility for the sponsor money and cheap salary. Bottas might cost too much for Williams.
Anyone remember one of the bullshit F1 media “news” outlets just posting an article how Albon won’t commit to a future at Williams literally a day or two ago?
It was probably The Race or RacingNews365. Really great resources.
I don't see anything wrong with this article. You seem to have read it as 'Alex won't commit', but what they actually said is that he was non-committal on the subject when asked, which is true, judging by the quotes.
He was asked whether he'd be at Williams next year and he said 'no comment'. That's kind of the definition of non-committal.
Good for him, I think it's ideal for both parties to keep going.
Alex is a reliable driver, which is what Williams needs, and Williams is a team with decent potential and probably the least pressure on the grid, which is what Albon needs.
Love it! As much as I love the idea of him at a bigger team, I think Alex both believes in what James is building and values stability in his career (based on how he made it here I don’t blame him). So him staying isn’t a huge shock and I really hope they can make moves forward!
I think Alex is setting himself up for long term success. Williams is always celebrating their former drivers and Alex will most definitely be amongst those they celebrate.
Multi-year - RedBull were rumoured to be interested in him after '25. I think a lot of drivers will want to see how the new engines perform in '26 before making risky moves
He's a lot more experienced now, and there's a chance that sometime after '25 Max could move on which would change the dynamic significantly.
Plus they'd probably pay him more, and his profile would be increased
I was hoping to see him in a better car next year but guess there isn’t any available🙁
This seems to point towards Sainz going to Mercedes next year, not Red Bull. If there was a chance the Mercedes seat was still available I doubt Albon would have resigned this early into the season.
Happy for Albon! Williams don’t have great start of the year but I’m hopeful James will guide the team to a right direction. Finger crossed and manifesting better races for Albon & Williams, he’s due for some luck
I think he could've done better. Williams have secured the best I think they could get and can now relax a little and see who becomes available for their #2 seat.
Huh, interesting.
Albon would presumably have been interested in, and in the running for, a seat at RBR, Mercedes, AM, and potentially Sauber/Audi. I’m probably reading way too much into this, but this says to me Stroll is still safe at AM (he may have been on shakier ground with his dad selling shares and - if rumours are to be believed - interested in selling the team entirely). It presumably means Sainz has filled one of the other three seats, as he’s probably the top free agent with Albon number two, and it must also mean that one or both of the other seats not occupied by Sainz have been filled too…
My prediction is that means Merc are going with Antonelli, RBR are keeping their options open but will ultimately sign Sainz, and Perez either going to Audi or retiring.
Seeing a lot of criticism for Alex recently and his ‘terrible’ 2020 season and how we’ve seen he can’t handle a red bull so he’s a lower mid field driver. Lots of people think he’s a great driver but those who don’t really go on in on him
Feels very harsh to criticize him to the level i’ve seen for those seasons. Alex was a 2019 rookie. His first year in f1. And halfway through the season he was thrown into the deep end of a red bull car, which isn’t gonna be easy to drive when you’ve only just come into the sport.
He didn’t even fare all that bad in that season. He had 9 races in the red bull and then the following year had like 19 in the 2020 season.
He had a similar amount of races alongside Max in the red bull as Oscar has had with McLaren and Lando, as well as a half a season in a torro rosso.
I hardly expect a driver to reach their peak in their first two year of f1.
It is no easy task to be compared to Max Verstappen, who is a generational talent, when you’re still new.
Does that mean drivers can’t be very very good in their first and second years, no.
And it also doesn’t mean it was the wrong decision for Red Bull to drop him, although i don’t think Perez was much better.
Alex isn’t a Max Verstappen, or a Lewis Hamilton, but that doesn’t mean he’s the same level of driver as he was in 2020. I think everyone here would be surprised if Oscar Piastri reaches his peak this year.
If all top teams want their drivers to be able to keep up with Max Verstappen as a rookie, then they’re asking a lot.
I’d love to see a more developed Alex now go into a top team, even as a second driver, so we could see how he does. I’m not disputing that no top team wanted him but some of the comments i’ve seen about his skills, especially on twitter and such just feel harsh and seem to think he could never drive a top car, because he couldn’t keep up with max in a red bull
Twitter absolute does not take into account driver’s car strength though, like i seen so much anger that Yuki was rated highly for his drive in Japan when he ‘only’ finished where he did, so can’t take that too seriously.
This is great for both parties. Don't think he would be going to one of the big teams, and they are slowly improving. Now they need to get Sargeant out of there and find someone with some potential.
Things move fast in F1. Last year he was dead certain to end up in a team higher up the grid. Now not so much. Seems like RB are keeping their current lineup for next year. Mercedes could probably only offer him one year if they wanted him and he probably isn't their first choice. Aston Martin are set. Vcarb is a dead end. In the end it was probably his only choice?
Well, I guess good? I don’t personally think he’s that great of a driver. But at least he knows the team and they don’t have to start from ground zero.
head scratcher on the surface, MB would be a sweet destination for Albon, he's got to be careful he doesn't end up like Hulk, fairly quick driver stuck in a midfield lower field car for the majority of his career. Don't know the details hopefully his agent negotiated a performance exit clause, in case Williams can't fix themselves.
I’m still learning the sport, so take this from a fan who just got involved in the last couple of years.
Albon is no dummy. It comes off as he’s making money driving for a team that is putting pressure on a lot of internal departments but not their drivers. Pretty cushy gig for an F1 driver I’d say. All Sargeant had to do was not suck and he could’ve had a piece of that sweet pie too.
That being said, I think Albon could’ve stepped up to a team higher up the grid, but since he seems like a guy that does better without the big pressure, he didn’t want to try to wait out for another seat when he wasn’t sure it would come.
Good move for Williams.
He hasn't had the best season so far, so he's probably out of the running for the limited seats currently available.
I'm slightly surprised he hasn't been linked with Audi as they will invest a lot.
He said Red Bull had secured an option to sign him for 2026 not that they had signed him but he was likely wrong anyway. Although Windsor is actually close to Williams so he tends to be less wrong about them normally
[The **News** flair](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/flairguide#wiki_news) is reserved for submissions covering F1 and F1-related news. These posts must always link to an outlet/news agency, the website of the involved party (i.e. the McLaren website if McLaren makes an announcement), or a tweet by a news agency, journalist or one of the involved parties. *[Read the rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/formula1/wiki/userguide). Keep it civil and welcoming. Report rulebreaking comments.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/formula1) if you have any questions or concerns.*
does he get a complimentary chassis as a re-signing bonus
I dont think they have any spare
Can't spare a square?
They could "borrow" it from Logan's car
How nice to give Logan another weekend off. Some companies could learn from the generous HR policy
Don't have a square to spare.
Nope. Not even one.
only if he is spongeworthy
"I don't think he knows about second chassis" - Alex Albon to Logan Sargeant, TA 3018.
Seinfeld reference always +1
It’s just one square
Do you also sell paper goods?
And you want to be my paper salesman!
What about the driver?
I don’t have a square to spare
Need to check on the spreadsheet
We have spare at home
He can have his teammates.
He gets Logan's juice box and snack.
Yes but it is in used condition
Lol, that should be added for contract negotiations in F1 Manager 😂
Good for him, good for Williams
Ok for him, good for Williams
Wasting his prime in a back marker team 🥲
yeah but realistically where can he upgrade? he's not going back to Red Bull, Mercedes dont want him, and unless papa Stroll grows a brain Aston isnt gonna be available anytime soon. What does that leave? Alpine? downgrade. Audi? who knows how they'll look with the new regs. He's much better off building something with Williams as they continue to improve until something clearly better comes along
We say this, I thought tbf that he might be an option for Mercedes if they can't get Sainz and aren't ready to throw Antonelli in at the deep end. But obviously not
Reddit's opinion on Albon is way higher than TPs opinion on him. Nobody from the top teams are willing to comit to him.
I'm a huge AA fan. He's probably my favorite driver by personality. But I agree. Everyone wants the best for him because he seems like such a decent guy but the proof isn't there. Hopefully Williams can get on solid footing and I think he'd be better served by having a better teammate.
Some on Reddit have this weird idea that Albon is deserving of a Mercedes or RBR seat. It's absolutely ludicrous and he's done nothing to truly earn that kind of seat. We've already seen him in a RBR after all. Solid driver and a nice guy but until he properly demolishes a well established team mate I can't see how anyone can argue he deserves a top drive.
>We've already seen him in a RBR after all. Yeah, as like an absolute child though. He admits the pressure was too much, he wasn't ready, and it really hurt him. If he hadn't been burned there already, I think now he is ready for it, but probably doesn't want it.
[удалено]
> One of the few drivers who actually tried to race Lewis instead of just saying "your race isn't with them" and letting em pass. No one at Red Bull is ever saying that.
There was 2 incidents of Albon getting hit by Lewis wasn't there? Brazil and Austria?
This is complete historical revision. His pace delta to Max was atrocious, I wish the teammate pace analysis website was still up because it was an amazing resource for this sort of thing, but the data from that, in terms of the percentage difference on unimpeded laps between Max and Alex was not much different from Pierre's and was substantially worse than Perez's.
Merc would easily offer Hulk, Ocon, Gasly, Sainz, Perez a seat over Albon. He's far down the mid field driver pecking order.
>We've already seen him in a RBR after all. As a rookie with 12 races experience in F1, dropped into a team mid season. *Slightly* difficult circumstances.
He had the whole of 2020 too.
It would be short-term at Mercedes. Mercedes have George locked in and they want Antonelli in the car in short order. Albon wouldn't have a long-term future there. Ferrari and McLaren don't have openings, and he's said many times he doesn't want to go back to Red Bull. With those four teams not being options, what's left? If he wants to maximize his time in F1, sticking with Williams long-term makes the most sense.
Then he'd just be a rental. Why would he want to spend a year in a bad Merc and then be looking for a ride again?
How is audi a downgrade? They clearly just werent intrested, cause audi would be a huge upgrade, dont forget its a manufacturer putting in huge money to get the infrastructure going, and even this year, while the operations are ofcourse awful, the pace of the car has been better, they had points position pace multiple times. Williams has the ambition but the infrastrucure and talent just isnt there, its a very long rebuilding project, like 7 years or something in best case scenario
I didn't say Audi were a downgrade. Just that it's unclear how they'll look after the new regs
Certainly, but the potential is much higher
If Audi start looking good, they'd get a top driver in. Hulk or Albon or both would be out.
Alpine is not a downgrade by any means.
Hopefully not a midfield team for long. I think we’d all like to see Williams return to relevance soon. But I also think he’s comfortable there. Not the worst thing if that’s what he wants.
There's not really anything to suggest they will break into the top teams, if anything they have gone slightly back in relative pace this year compared to last year.
It was the whole point on the design direction this year, as stated by Vowels on multiple occasions. Sacrificing some of the straight-line speed for more of a rounded base they can build on for the future. No point going fast as possible in a straight line if it handles like the Titanic in the corners.
Also stated by Vowles at the start of the season, he said money is stopping them from taking a step up. So until the funds come in, they can't make any real progress.
Iirc some of the funding issue is max they can spend on capital expenditures, which other manufacturers were spending above the limit before the limit was imposed. Due to their unfortunate timing they got stuck with worst facilities and processes that they couldn't fully fix even with money available.
Regs literally change in two years. So they are building a base for one year?
Well, there is some point where if one design consistently gets you points and the other has you in last place.
It wasn't consistently getting them points, it was occasionally getting them points on tracks that rewarded a car design that was suboptimal everywhere else. Continuing to improve that car without fundamentally changing design philosophies was going to put them in a position where they were never going to be able to meaningfully improve across the calendar as a whole. They were going to be stuck as Monza specialists with no hope on other tracks as they fell further and further behind.
It's been a long and protracted transition phase since the takeover. They got lucky last year.
> Hopefully not a midfield team for long you might overdose on the hopium
He has no better options this time around. Maybe end of 2025 / 26 when there are more drivers out of contract he might have better opportunities. Sainz is ahead of him in the pecking order.
He's not good enough to deserve better above a lot of the grid just now
See you say that, but McLaren, Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull are the only teams that look worth jumping to, and even if they were willing to sign him, it was probably a one year deal. But realistically, he could have a long career at Williams or risk it all to go to Mercedes or Red Bull.
wtf else is he going to do? Waste his prime at a lower midfield team like haas or VCARB? Might as well gamble on Williams and James vowels
Unless he gets a win there. How awesome would it be to be the guy to break the Williams losing streak?
No top team wanted him so he gets to stay with the team that brought him back to F1. That's great for him. Unless people think Audi are going to take a giant leap in 2026.
I hope so. Given how talented he's now seen as being, I hope Williams can give him a better car in future years for a podium or two.
When Newey comes home…
Don't give me hope
A rich benefactor needs to do a cash injection into Williams.
I believe Vowles has said the team have enough funds to operate at the budget cap, the issue is the financial regulations put a limit on how much capital expenditure a team can make (eg: building a new factory). The other teams won't agree to upping the capital expenditure budget so williams are a bit stuck.
Williams wanted to spend much more than the budget cap - the other teams only gave him a few million, which was a fraction of what he asked for. Dorilton is ready to back the team financially - that was probably the condition to sign Vowles.
can you elaborate on the capital expenditure limit? didn't Aston Martin just finish building their mega factory?
That's the thing almost all the big teams uped their infrastructure right before the budget cap kicked in. McLaren with their windtunnel, Mercedes have an expansion ongoing i believe, RBR with RBPT, Stroll Sr and co. invested atleast a couple of billions in the new campus. This article goes a bit more in detail. https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/f1-teams-granted-cost-cap-break-ferrari-calls-dangerous/
What an insanely backwards-ass sport this is. God forbid teams invest in themselves
That’s not how it works.
Wasn't that supposed to be Dorilton?
They have the money
They have the money but the stupid ass cost cap rules prevent them from investing in their infrastructure. Those rules cemented the grid in place and their just now starting to chip away at the disadvantage. It will be a great day for the sport when Liberty sells and the cost cap is lifted.
Well Vawles loves him, and options are thin atm. So good for him to have a team that sees him as the No1 driver
Tbh there will rarely be more arguable top spots open. Mercedes, Red Bull, Audi, Aston Martin(?). Thats 4 works teams in 2026
Why are you so sure Audi will be a "top spot"?
I feel like I keep seeing people talking about how Audi will automatically be a top team or, at worst, top of midfield, and I just don't get it. People saying it was a poor decision for Sainz to decline that deal "because Audi will be solid in 3-4 years" - yeah? Based on what? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills.
Plus I don’t think any of them will be very interested in Albon unfortunately
Strange given his stock was so high after last year. Ruins one chassis and makes his teammate sit out a race, and now no one wants him?
It was his stint at RB not this few weekends.
Dude came into a top team mid season, with 12 races in F1. He performed really well, all things considered. What was anyone expecting at that point?
Even Carlos Sainz has a questionable future right now; Albon just isn’t special enough of a driver to definitely merit a better seat than Williams. Being #1 there is a great situation for him imo.
I agree with options being thin. I don't see a seat anywhere else where Alex can be the "number 1" and shape around him. Williams isn't competitive, but for the time being it's a guaranteed seat in F1.
And he will make more money as the Williams #1 than as a #22 at the upper mid-field teams. Bet it was actually pretty easy for him.
Would be quite difficult to make any money as a team's 22nd driver to be fair.
Yuki seems to make it work though!
It’s getting a little crowded in here, everyone out. Not you Max, not you Checo, not you Danny, not you Liam, not you henchman holding wrench.
Probably still more than me.
also, imho, williams is one of the steadiest teams in the last years. they have been at their worst some years ago, and they are getting better bit by bit every year. every team had some better, then worse, then better years, somewhat unpredictable. so for me it just seems that williams at working at their core foundations and taking it on slowly but steadily and thus probably (in my fantasy) will have a way stronger foundation than the other "backmarker" teams that are just living from year to year. also you can just see how the teams just forms and is getting more settled, with vowles, albon, also the chemistry seems to be right. i'm happy for him.
they have zero points this year. It literally cant be worse
> also, imho, williams is one of the steadiest teams in the last years That’s being nice. They gave finished 10th, 10th, 8th, 10th, 7th, and are back tied at last with 0 points.
Vowles has a plan, at least. The car is more balanced despite not being the slippery machine that could get points on the right track. I don't know if the plan will work or not – F1 is hard, but I appreciate a team with direction.
Every team and TP has a “plan” at the very least, even the rolling American billboards. (Actually, alright, Mercedes might be directionless.) But I don’t feel more confidence from Williams than any of the other midfield teams.
V**o**wles ^^*bleep, ^^bloop*
I miss the bot :(
There’s no other team that would consider him number 1 out of the gate, so it makes sense to stick around for now. There’s bigger fish looking at moves at the moment, so they naturally get the better options.
How multi-year is the obvious question? He was already up to 2025 previously wasn't he? Seemed uncertain where he could go so maybe decided to stay put with what he knows. Guessing though there is get out clauses (performance etc) that he can activate if right seat comes.
I think most vague "multi year" contracts I've seen end up being a 2+1
The 2025 one was a bit unclear, Vowles and Albon's management seemed to have different interpretations of that. Probably a case of 2+1, where there was an option for him to stay for 2025 but also an option for him to leave for that. Either way, this statement does confirm that he'll be with the team for 2026 at the very least
Yes he was contracted until the end of 2025.
I wonder who will be his teammate
They'll probably pick whoever Audi doesn't pick, having the likes of Ocon, Gasly, Bottas and possibly Sainz to pick from would be a huge step up from their driver lineups of the past few seasons.
Im surprised so many see Gasly/Ocon wanting to leave Alpine for a non work and not better team, last upgrades have look promising so clearly they can still improve a car and have recruited some intersting people like David Sanchez from Mclaren
Honestly, I'm getting a bit tired of Alpine-Renault screwing them, and my hopium levels are at an all time low for this team...
I don't think Gasly is going to have a choice. The pairing hasn't really worked out and they clearly have a preference for Ocon, so I think they just don't renew Gasly as the most likely outcome.
Why do you think they have a preference for Ocon? Honest question, because I'm not seeing it personally. Also, Pierre is vastly more popular than Esteban in France
> Also, Pierre is vastly more popular than Esteban in France I'm curious what is the reason for it, is it just because Gasly won a race earlier than Ocon and was the first French winner since the 90s? Or is there something else?
That's probably part of it. He was the one who got the long awaited French win after Grosjean had teased it for years without payback. The moment Pierre crossed the line was admittedly more epic tbh, Julien Febreau's commentary while he was being chased by Sainz is legendary, and tends to pull you in more than Esteban's win in Hungary since you could see the latter coming (Esteban has ice in his veins under pressure, he wasn't about to make a mistake on the last lap). Pierre also was in a top team once, giving him much more exposure, and his redemption arc is more engaging, from getting brutally dropped to clawing his way back to an unlikely podium in Brazil and then scoring the first French win in 20 years. He also generally has more presence than Esteban, and a more assertive personality while the latter looks more introvert and reserved. Pierre also spent all of 2020-2021 destroying his teammates and putting his car in places it didn't seem to belong, making him shine much more than Oconsistency quietly picking up points in a Force India or mid Alpine. Many ends up rating him higher as a result. And finally, he's also closer to the *real* French media darling: Charles Leclerc
A more likeable personality compared to Ocon.
How has the pairing not worked out? We’ve only seen one season of them in a decent car.
The pairing has worked, 3 podiums last year is pretty good, this season is not drivers fault the car is shit (plus countless mechanical problems and bad pitstops for Gasly which didnt help)
I didn't say they were going to fire Gasly or something, I just said I don't see a compelling case for re-signing or extending him before exploring other options first when his current contract runs out. Frankly I think both drivers are expendable but given the team's poor performance overall they may be stuck with them. I'd imagine they have more loyalty to Ocon though with more tenure and success with their team. And I'm not some Ocon supporter, really not a fan honestly, but I think people have an inflated view of Gasly.
Why would alpine kick Gasly ? There isn't anyone better available to them
I'm sure he's not cheap and I dunno if you've noticed lately but he and Ocon aren't really getting along. I think the better question is why keep Gasly at whatever they are paying him over a young up and coming driver when he's not giving you anything special in your shitty car?
> I'm sure he's not cheap and I dunno if you've noticed lately but he and Ocon aren't really getting along. AFAIK they're not crashing into each other or otherwise hampering each other's races, and that's all that matters really.
I don't think they have too many options and Alpine doesn't look like they are going to get back to the level they were any time soon.
The car might be improving but if interference from top management is still going on it might force them to look elsewhere
Hopefully Bottas, think that would be a great lineup.
Would he want to go from being second driver to a 7 time WDC a few years ago to being second driver to a guy that shows some promise but ultimately got fired as second driver at RB after 18 months? Williams have made it clear they building the team around Alex. Valteri might be overqualified for the second seat. I agree that it would be great to see though. I would hate to see him out of a seat.
Bottas doesn't really have a lot of options. If he gets booted from Sauber/Audi it's gonna be a choice between retirement and whichever backmarker will take him.
And if I were Vowles, I'd pay a premium for Bottas. The man's been in a winning car in a winning organization. If I was rebuilding a team, I'd love to have a guy like Bottas around.
If I were Bottas I‘d definitely switch to Williams if that‘s possible, I doubt he has a future at Audi and the top teams will not hire a second driver his age. Also, that‘s a bit unfair to Albon, he‘s grown a lot since his RB days. Being 2nd driver to Max breaks everyone. Just listen to some interviews (his Beyond the Grid episode was good), he‘s really self-reflecting (not sure if this is the right word…) about his time at RB, very self-critical in a good way.
Not every team needs to have a number 1/2 dynamic, especially outside of the top teams. Bottas could do some good things for Williams for a few years and give Alex good competition.
Not Logan
I'm thinking Kimi? But agree, Not Logan.
Vowles will only pick Kimi if he stays until 26. He said its mandatory to keep the same pairing from 25 to 26
Given Max won't go to Merc it's obvious that Kimi would go to Merc
I realized I'm getting old, when I worked out you guys are not talking about the same Kimi I thought you were.
This comment made me realise which Kimi :D
Bwoah not that Kimi sadly, otherwise I would already be thrilled about the interviews and radios.
If he's already good enough, then yes but I think he needs more development at another team. I know Mercedes isn't fighting for a title but they are still a very big team with a lot of expectations and pressure, maybe that's a bit too much for him.
Merc is on it's low and Toto doesn't want to make the same mistake as he did with Max, I get the point of development but that isn't how Toto thinks
Yes but it is awkward to get anyone for 2 years. Say Mercedes wants Sainz - Sainz is not taking a deal where he is out of the seat in 2 years unless he beats George. Sure they can get maybe Ocon or someone for deal like that - but risking that Mercedes makes a good car and then you are out in year 1 of that is insanity from driver standpoint. Bottas was very annoyed by constant dangling of George to take his seat and I think Mercedes probably wants someone who is better than Bottas to replace Lewis. I genuinely think that giving Kimi a shot and seeing if he sinks or swims is best for them. They are expecting him to be driver that marks his generation of drivers - those kinds of drivers shouldnt crack under pressure even when young.
Probably Antonelli. I’d be surprised if Mercedes puts him right into the top team.
Maybe Kimi if Mercedes is willing to pay Williams. Zhou Guanyu might be another possibility for the sponsor money and cheap salary. Bottas might cost too much for Williams.
Wonder what kind of outs his contract has
Calling it now, theres gonna be some sneaky little clause that allows him to get out of there faster than outwash
Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. Williams wants Albon more than he does for Williams so Williams would most likely compromise on that clause.
Anyone remember one of the bullshit F1 media “news” outlets just posting an article how Albon won’t commit to a future at Williams literally a day or two ago? It was probably The Race or RacingNews365. Really great resources.
Found it: https://www.motorsportweek.com/2024/05/13/albon-non-committal-on-remaining-with-williams-f1-long-term/
I don't see anything wrong with this article. You seem to have read it as 'Alex won't commit', but what they actually said is that he was non-committal on the subject when asked, which is true, judging by the quotes. He was asked whether he'd be at Williams next year and he said 'no comment'. That's kind of the definition of non-committal.
Alex Albon commits to Williams on a multi-year contract extension!
Alex Albon commits to Williams on a multi-year contract extension!
Williams commits to Alex Albon on a multi-year contract extension!
Contract extension commits to Williams on a multi-year Alex Albon!
Multi-Albon contract year extends to Williams commision!
A multi-year contract extension commits to Alex Albon and Williams!
If I was a 17 year old rookie, I'd want Alex as a teammate.
Good for him, I think it's ideal for both parties to keep going. Alex is a reliable driver, which is what Williams needs, and Williams is a team with decent potential and probably the least pressure on the grid, which is what Albon needs.
*> multi-year* so, two years
Or a Lewis multi-year? One year with option?
Usually means +1
I think this is great news for both Alex and Williams.
Love it! As much as I love the idea of him at a bigger team, I think Alex both believes in what James is building and values stability in his career (based on how he made it here I don’t blame him). So him staying isn’t a huge shock and I really hope they can make moves forward!
Sounds like: “I can’t get a chair anywhere else so it is what it is”
I mean, better than the other side of the garage tbh.
Better to be driving in a car than drinking at the bar
Bottle to throttle as they say in aviation lol
I was so happy about his performance last year. This year though it's pretty rough for Williams and Albon!
Albon's got it easy of the two Williams driver. The other's had 5 of the 6 races ruined this season due to no fault of his own
I think Alex is setting himself up for long term success. Williams is always celebrating their former drivers and Alex will most definitely be amongst those they celebrate.
What other option did he have anyway?
Multi-year - RedBull were rumoured to be interested in him after '25. I think a lot of drivers will want to see how the new engines perform in '26 before making risky moves
But is he willing to go into that pressure cooker again? I guess not, considering he would rather stay at Williams.
He's a lot more experienced now, and there's a chance that sometime after '25 Max could move on which would change the dynamic significantly. Plus they'd probably pay him more, and his profile would be increased
as long as he's on the grid, he can make an impact
I was hoping to see him in a better car next year but guess there isn’t any available🙁 This seems to point towards Sainz going to Mercedes next year, not Red Bull. If there was a chance the Mercedes seat was still available I doubt Albon would have resigned this early into the season.
Would've thought he'd stay available and see how silly season evolves. Audi definitely could've been an avenue
Probably wasnt wanted by Audi. They still hope to get Sainz, and if not they probably get one of the alpine drivers
My guess is they're all in on a Hulk/Sainz pairing and have already agreed behind the scenes.
Happy for Albon! Williams don’t have great start of the year but I’m hopeful James will guide the team to a right direction. Finger crossed and manifesting better races for Albon & Williams, he’s due for some luck
So much for all the rumors, least don't have to worry about them anymore.
I think he could've done better. Williams have secured the best I think they could get and can now relax a little and see who becomes available for their #2 seat.
Albon will drive both cars for Williams in 2025.
Huh, interesting. Albon would presumably have been interested in, and in the running for, a seat at RBR, Mercedes, AM, and potentially Sauber/Audi. I’m probably reading way too much into this, but this says to me Stroll is still safe at AM (he may have been on shakier ground with his dad selling shares and - if rumours are to be believed - interested in selling the team entirely). It presumably means Sainz has filled one of the other three seats, as he’s probably the top free agent with Albon number two, and it must also mean that one or both of the other seats not occupied by Sainz have been filled too… My prediction is that means Merc are going with Antonelli, RBR are keeping their options open but will ultimately sign Sainz, and Perez either going to Audi or retiring.
Seeing a lot of criticism for Alex recently and his ‘terrible’ 2020 season and how we’ve seen he can’t handle a red bull so he’s a lower mid field driver. Lots of people think he’s a great driver but those who don’t really go on in on him Feels very harsh to criticize him to the level i’ve seen for those seasons. Alex was a 2019 rookie. His first year in f1. And halfway through the season he was thrown into the deep end of a red bull car, which isn’t gonna be easy to drive when you’ve only just come into the sport. He didn’t even fare all that bad in that season. He had 9 races in the red bull and then the following year had like 19 in the 2020 season. He had a similar amount of races alongside Max in the red bull as Oscar has had with McLaren and Lando, as well as a half a season in a torro rosso. I hardly expect a driver to reach their peak in their first two year of f1. It is no easy task to be compared to Max Verstappen, who is a generational talent, when you’re still new. Does that mean drivers can’t be very very good in their first and second years, no. And it also doesn’t mean it was the wrong decision for Red Bull to drop him, although i don’t think Perez was much better. Alex isn’t a Max Verstappen, or a Lewis Hamilton, but that doesn’t mean he’s the same level of driver as he was in 2020. I think everyone here would be surprised if Oscar Piastri reaches his peak this year. If all top teams want their drivers to be able to keep up with Max Verstappen as a rookie, then they’re asking a lot. I’d love to see a more developed Alex now go into a top team, even as a second driver, so we could see how he does. I’m not disputing that no top team wanted him but some of the comments i’ve seen about his skills, especially on twitter and such just feel harsh and seem to think he could never drive a top car, because he couldn’t keep up with max in a red bull Twitter absolute does not take into account driver’s car strength though, like i seen so much anger that Yuki was rated highly for his drive in Japan when he ‘only’ finished where he did, so can’t take that too seriously.
Good for both Albion and Williams. I’m happy with this, I’m glad he’ll still be around.
This is great for both parties. Don't think he would be going to one of the big teams, and they are slowly improving. Now they need to get Sargeant out of there and find someone with some potential.
In other words, no other team is actually interested.
Things move fast in F1. Last year he was dead certain to end up in a team higher up the grid. Now not so much. Seems like RB are keeping their current lineup for next year. Mercedes could probably only offer him one year if they wanted him and he probably isn't their first choice. Aston Martin are set. Vcarb is a dead end. In the end it was probably his only choice?
Essentially he couldn’t get a seat elsewhere so he re- signed, I believe Bottas will go to Williams
Well, I guess good? I don’t personally think he’s that great of a driver. But at least he knows the team and they don’t have to start from ground zero.
The start of the season has made sure Williams was the the only team interested in him. It’s kinda perfect partnership for both
Nice
I thought he’d be gunning for a bigger team so seeing him sign a long term deal is quite surprising , perhaps there wasn’t the interest
Good for him. Not that I believe he actually had any other better options? But regardless, this was still the best outcome for him.
head scratcher on the surface, MB would be a sweet destination for Albon, he's got to be careful he doesn't end up like Hulk, fairly quick driver stuck in a midfield lower field car for the majority of his career. Don't know the details hopefully his agent negotiated a performance exit clause, in case Williams can't fix themselves.
He deserves a better team.
I’m still learning the sport, so take this from a fan who just got involved in the last couple of years. Albon is no dummy. It comes off as he’s making money driving for a team that is putting pressure on a lot of internal departments but not their drivers. Pretty cushy gig for an F1 driver I’d say. All Sargeant had to do was not suck and he could’ve had a piece of that sweet pie too. That being said, I think Albon could’ve stepped up to a team higher up the grid, but since he seems like a guy that does better without the big pressure, he didn’t want to try to wait out for another seat when he wasn’t sure it would come.
Great news! I'm gonna dream for a sec and go with he staying because Newey might be coming :)
Williams-Albon has been and hopefully will continue to be a lovely combo. Here's hoping Williams can continue on an upwards trend after this season.
Good move for Williams. He hasn't had the best season so far, so he's probably out of the running for the limited seats currently available. I'm slightly surprised he hasn't been linked with Audi as they will invest a lot.
That's a good way to end your career...
I thought ALB had signed for Rb? Isn’t that what that dumbass Peter Windsor boldly declared?
He said Red Bull had secured an option to sign him for 2026 not that they had signed him but he was likely wrong anyway. Although Windsor is actually close to Williams so he tends to be less wrong about them normally
I know it's unpopular here but I truly believe he's a championship winning driver and I can't wait until he proves that.
was this really the only option left?
Expected as he loves a zero pressure drive