Alex Albon had all the reasons to feel hard done by Red Bull, after getting the axe at the end of 2020, making way for Sergio Perez for the upcoming season. Albon had to be the reserve driver that year for Red Bull and helped the team to improve the car, which inadvertently helped Perez’s performances in ’21.
In a feature for The Players Tribune, Albon wrote about his frustrations when he spent a year on the sidelines, “During that year I’d sit there and watch Checo and Max rack up points for Red Bull Racing, and it just killed me. It wasn’t because I wasn’t happy for their success. Hand on my heart, I really was happy for them.”
Albon cited how he was in the simulator and worked with the engineers to understand and improve the car over the winter and through the season as well. However, the #23 driver “wanted to be out there” to perform on the track.
Relative to 2020, the Red Bull car became significantly better on stability and pace. Albon was struggling with the pointy front end and unstable rear end in the pandemic-curtailed season. So, seeing his successor, Perez, getting a better improved version and rack up good points and podiums would have been a real gut punch.
The Mexican driver played a crucial role in supporting Max Verstappen in his maiden championship triumph. While he did get some criticism for not being able to back the Dutchman more consistently, Perez experienced a rather better year than Albon in 2020.
However, the Thai driver got his chance to redeem himself in 2022. And Albon grabbed it with both hands, performing exceptionally well for Williams. Apparently, his stint at the Grove outfit could bring his story full circle with Red Bull.
The redemption of Alex Albon
Alex Albon could have also fought for podiums in 2021, had Red Bull not demoted him to be their reserve driver. However, the Thai driver had to take the pain and wait for a seat for the 2022 season. Fortunately, Williams saw his potential and signed him up on a multi-year deal.
Since then, Albon has been leading Williams single-handedly. The 28-year-old has scored most of the Grove outfit’s points in the last two seasons. His noteworthy performance, be it in a backmarker outfit, has caught the attention of several top teams for the future.
Albon is one of the most sought-after drivers and there are rumors about his return to a top team, including Red Bull. Some reports suggested that the Milton Keynes stable has offered him a multi-year deal from 2025 or 2026. However, as of now, Red Bull seems to be satisfied with Perez’s performances and may retain him for next year.
Still, the way the Mexican driver dropped off a cliff relative to Verstappen last year, the Austrian team may be wary of giving him a long-term deal. Thus, with Albon having a deal with Williams only till the end of 2025, a future return move is still possible for him.
On the other hand, Williams also don’t want to lose the Thai driver. Their team boss, James Vowles, is keen on retaining Albon for the foreseeable future. So, it would be interesting to see what will Albon decide if a top team like Red Bull or Mercedes offer him a deal in the next two years.
