Former Red Bull driver Alex Albon named as most WANTED man in F1

drivers, grid, 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

Alex Albon

Former Red Bull driver named as most WANTED man in F1

The former Red Bull star has been named as a very valuable person in the 2025 driver market

Anna Malyon

Sunday 20 August 2023 07:42

Alex Albon has been named as the most wanted man in Formula 1, after he was backed to become a 'key player' in the 2025 driver market.

Despite not having a hugely competitive car, the Williams driver has delivered an impressive performance in the first half of the F1 season, accumulating 11 points to put the team seventh in the constructors’ championship.

With Albon's contract set to expire at the end of the 2024 season, speculation has emerged about his potential as a favoured contender for seats in the 2025 market.

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And now F1 correspondent and presenter, Lawrence Barretto, has suggested that he will hold a pivotal role in 2025.

"Many of Red Bull’s senior engineers are understood to rate him very highly,” he wrote for the Formula 1 website. “It’s believed there have been conversations (either formal or informal) with at least half the grid, some of which, sources tell me, are top teams.

"The driver market is wide open for 2025 – aside from McLaren, every single team have at least one seat available.

“Few [drivers] are operating at such a high level. If he maintains this trajectory, it’s difficult to see how he won’t be a key player in the 2025 driver market, which has already opened for business.”

Red Bull Past

Albon’s past has looked unfortunate, being previously dropped by Red Bull at the end of the 2020 season and subsequently demoted to the role of reserve driver for the team.

Alex Albon had an unfortunate run at Red Bull which meant he was dropped to reserve driver in 2020

However, things took a positive turn for him when he made his comeback to the F1 grid in 2022, after joining the Williams team.

He began to receive attention following his impressive performances on track, as well as his positive attitude, which allowed him to score points in unlikely circumstances.

Former Aston Martin strategist and Sky Sports F1 pundit, Bernie Collins, named Albon’s one-stop strategy in the Canadian Grand Prix as the best of the season so far.

“The Canadian Grand Prix provided a season-best finish for Alex Albon and Williams,” Collins wrote for the Formula 1 site.

“Albon’s brilliant execution of the one-stop strategy resulted in him gaining five positions in the second stint and defending these to the end to seal a P7 finish – a season best for both Albon and the team.”

Albon’s recent displays have placed him in the spotlight, a development that could hold significant implications for both him and other teams as he finds a seat in 2025.