mobile app bar

“Youngsters get the chance to develop slowly today”- Alex Albon believes Red Bull promoted him ‘too soon’ in his career

Somin Bhattacharjee
Published

"Youngsters get the chance to develop slowly today"- Alex Albon believes Red Bull promoted him 'too soon' in his career

Alex Albon made a quick jump in his F1 career when he joined Red Bull midway into the 2019 season, replacing Pierre Gasly.

Albon made his F1 debut in 2019 for Toro Rosso, after an impressive Formula 2 campaign the previous year. Pierre Gasly, who impressed with Toro Rosso, was given the opportunity to partner with Max Verstappen in 2019, but it turned out to be disastrous for the Frenchman.

He couldn’t match Verstappen on any front and was comprehensively outperformed. Red Bull decided to pull the plug midway into the 2019 campaign, and Gasly was demoted back to their sister team. Albon, who had a great first half of the 2019 season was then brought on board as Verstappen’s teammate.

Albon performed really well during the second half of the 2019 campaign. It was enough for Red Bull to offer him a new deal for the 2020 season. However, he failed to live up to expectations that year and was sacked at the end of 2020. He spent 2021 on the sidelines, as Red Bull’s reserve and development driver.

Also read: Formula E world champion mocks Alpine F1 team as he signs deal with $17.8 billion team

Alex Albon needed more time to develop before joining Red Bull

Albon joined Williams in 2022, and his return to F1 has been strong. He also looks very confident behind the wheel, which has led to people wondering what went wrong during his Red Bull stint.

According to the Thai-British driver, he needed more time before joining Red Bull. He feels youngsters today are given a lot of time to develop before making the jump to a big team, and he did not get that. With Toro Rosso, Albon started just 12 races before becoming Verstappen’s teammate.

“I wouldn’t say anything went wrong,” Albon said to AMuS regarding his time at Red Bull. That would be an exaggeration. After half a year, I was put straight into a top team. Earlier than any other driver and without testing before.”

“If you look at youngsters today, they get the chance to develop slowly. 2019 was a good year. Then in 2020, I struggled with the car.”

Albon’s comments have confused a lot of F1 fans. Drivers like Lewis Hamilton and Verstappen started their F1 careers at a very young age, and guided top teams to victories from the very get go. Some fans however, recognize the fact that Hamilton or Verstappen can’t be compared to Albon, since they are generational talents.

Also read: Max Verstappen has mastered former $100 Million worth driver’s legendary skill according to Hans-Joachim Stuck

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

x-iconinstagram-iconlinkedin-icon

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

Share this article