While the whole Formula 1 world has been losing its mind over who goes where and who leaves or stays at Alpine or McLaren, Williams it appears has been quietly doing some important business, as it announced it will retain Alex Albon for 2023 and beyond.
Alex Albon to stay at Williams for 2023
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The news will be a boost for Williams, as Albon has impressed since he arrived at the team. Although it has continued to struggle to push itself beyond the back of the grid Albon has regularly dragged the FW44 above where it seemed to deserve to be, securing a pair of points finishes in Australia and Miami.
It brings some stability to Albon too. The former Red Bull driver has been something of a nomad over the last few years. After cancelling a planned contract with Nissan in Formula E to join the then-Toro Rosso team he stepped up to the top Red Bull team in the middle of his first F1 season, replacing Pierre Gasly. His performances at Red Bull in that first season led to him retaining the spot for 2020, but his second season was a struggle. Despite securing his first two F1 podiums, Albon was not retained by Red Bull for 2021.
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Replaced by Sergio Perez, Albon spent a year racing a Red Bull-backed AF Corse GT3 car in the DTM, winning one race, before he secured a return to F1 for 2022 with Williams.
Referencing the current situation at Alpine, Albon confirmed his deal by tweating "I understand that, with my agreement, Williams Racing have put out a press release this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is right and I have signed a contract with Williams for 2023. I will be driving for Williams next year."
The F1 future of Albon’s current team-mate, Nicholas Latifi, remains less certain. The Canadian, in his third year of a three-year deal at Williams, has struggled to match Albon in 2022, despite securing his first Q3 appearance and setting fastest time in FP3 at Hungary.
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If Latifi leaves, it would leave a space for Williams’ American reserve driver Logan Sargeant to step up to F1. Sargeant has impressed in F2 this season, his two wins putting him in contention for the title in his first full season.
Until this week it had been expected that Williams might be an option for Alpine young driver Oscar Piastri. But the 2021 F2 champion was announced as the replacement for Fernando Alonso at the main team yesterday (2nd August) before issuing a terse statement denying that he would be racing for Alpine.
Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.
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