Alex Albon had to settle for driving a weak car when he joined Williams in 2022, but this year was arguably the most difficult of all. The car was simply not good enough, which made scoring points rare and Albon also suffered multiple crashes, which plagued his season.
Despite that, he managed to achieve the personal milestone of having 100 F1 appearances. Looking back on that moment during a Williams YouTube segment, Albon recalled how it was a great gesture from a race that didn’t hold good memories.
“My journey has been not as smooth as maybe other drivers on the grid”
Alex Albon reflects on the path he’s taken towards his 100th race start at the United States Grand Prix #F1 #USGP https://t.co/fA31zj5LZs
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 17, 2024
Albon started race number 100 in Austin back in October and finished P16, a lap down from winner Charles Leclerc. The Thai-British driver remembered how there was some damage to his car which prevented him from doing much more, resulting in a rather forgettable weekend for him performance-wise.
However, Albon has better hopes for the future. “I’m hoping the 200th is better,” he said in the video. It will take around four seasons before the #23 driver reaches that milestone mark, and Williams would certainly hope that Albon celebrates it with them.
Albon part of Williams’ long-term future
Albon came to Williams to help the Grove-based squad return back to its glory days and while he as a driver cannot influence the technical side of things to that extent, his input has surely helped the team grow.
Of course, there are miles to go before Williams becomes a Championship-contending outfit the rest of the grid feared in the ’90s again, but they seem to be on the right path with Team Principal James Vowles heavily focused on long-term success.
For that, Williams have roped in Carlos Sainz — a driver with a wealth of experience for driving for a top team. With him and Albon, and a motivated group of individuals led by Vowles, Williams could surely get back to the front of the grid again.
BREAKING: Carlos Sainz will join the team for ’25, ’26 and beyond
BIENVENIDO, CARLOS!
Read the full story ⬇️
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) July 29, 2024
If they do, there is a high chance Albon will be around for his 200th F1 appearance. Maybe it will even be special, unlike his century earlier this year.
