Alex Albon made an appearance on The Fast and The Curious podcast back in August, before the Italian Grand Prix. Talking about his 2023 season until then, the British-Thai driver was informed by the host that he was actually ‘Christian’s’ favorite driver in 2023, after Max Verstappen. Naturally, flattered to be receiving such praise from his ex-boss, Christian Horner, Albon went on to explain that the Briton was actually very supportive and he was glad that he said that about him. As it turns out, though, Horner wasn’t the ‘Christian’ in question!
The Williams driver was evidently very happy thinking that Horner thought that high of his 2023 efforts. However, in a hilarious turn of events, the host revealed that she was actually talking about her co-host, on the podcast, Christian Hewgill!
And when Hewgill joked that his praise obviously doesn’t mean as much as Horner’s, Albon hilariously replied, “Your words mean more to me than Christian Horner’s! My confidence coming into this weekend is higher than it has ever been before.”
What a season, @alex_albon
27 points racked up in 2023. ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/DVCymQO0Zs
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) November 26, 2023
Joking aside, Albon does deserve credit, though. 2023 was a stellar year for the #23 driver behind the wheel of the FW45. He scored a handy haul of 27 points for the team, compared to Logan Sargeant’s one. Moreover, after finishing 10th in the Constructors’ last year, Williams’ P7 was all thanks to Albon.
Albon was the real team leader within the Grove-based squad. While Sargeant found it difficult to adjust to life in F1, in his rookie season, the relatively experienced 27-year-old carried the entire team to a lofty finish.
Alex Albon may become a highly sought-after driver in 2024
Alex Albon outperformed the capabilities of the FW45 as he scored several valuable points for Williams in 2023. A testament to how good Albon was can be received by how difficult Sargeant found it to cope with the car. The American driver struggled for pace throughout the season and suffered a few hefty crashes, too.
In the end, the 27 points that Albon scored for the team made all the difference in their Constructors’ Championship finish at the end of the season. After the mighty disappointment of finishing last in 2022, seventh in the standings would’ve been a welcome relief for the iconic British team.
El duelo de los pilotos de Williams en lo que va de la temporada 2023
Albon vs Sargeant#F1 pic.twitter.com/YemAaakI4P— Formula + (@Formula_Stats) August 15, 2023
In all honesty, Christian Horner was impressed by Albon’s performances in 2023. It had been reported by revered F1 journalist, Yhacbec López, that Red Bull had offered Albon a return to the Red Bull family with a seat for 2024 with V-CARB (formerly AlphaTauri). However, Albon reportedly turned them down with a “No, thank you.”
That being said, Albon goes into 2024 in the last year of his Williams contract. If he can repeat his 2023 performances, he will most likely be a wanted man in the F1 paddock for 2025 and beyond.
