Alex Albon joined Williams in 2022 and has been fighting at the back of the grid since, barring a few exceptional races where he finished in the points. Being an F1 driver, he has lofty ambitions and wants to compete for trophies. Unfortunately, he doesn’t see that happening just yet.
In a recent interview segment uploaded on Williams’ YouTube channel, Albon spoke about his desire to achieve a podium result with the Grove-based outfit. There has been a lot of talk surrounding the British stable making strides with new regulations coming, and Team Principal James Vowles laying out a solid plan.
However, Albon does not think it will bear fruit in 2025. “I don’t think it’s possible next year,” the Thai-British driver said.
Vowles joined Williams in 2023 and, immediately upon arrival, noticed how much the team was lacking in terms of technology and facilities. However, he has since brought a winning mindset back to the iconic team and is looking to turn its fortunes around in the coming years.
Unfortunately in F1, it takes time to make big strides. Dragging a team like Williams—who earned the tag of being a perennial backmarker—back to the top would take time. In the short term, it wouldn’t be possible for Albon and Co. to fight amongst the front-runners unless something extraordinary happens.
Albon predicts the only way he could get a podium
In F1, there have been bizarre races where drivers no one would have expected to be on the podium have ended up on it. Pierre Gasly shocked the world when he won the 2020 Italian GP in an AlphaTauri, as did George Russell when he finished P2 with Williams at the 2021 Belgian GP — a race that lasted only two laps.
George Russell scores his first podium with a second place at the rather bizarre 2021 Belgium Grand Prix after only completing two laps – all behind the safety car. pic.twitter.com/lhum1gOJJB
— Williams Database (@WilliamsdbF1) March 7, 2024
As far as Albon is concerned, F1 could have more crazy outings like this, maybe even in 2025. If that happens, it could help him sneak in a podium finish.
However, the 28-year-old admitted that from 2026 onwards—when the regulation changes take effect—they would be more likely to achieve top-three results. This prospect becomes even more likely with a driver pairing that includes himself and three-time race winner Carlos Sainz, who will join from Ferrari.
