F1 News: Alex Albon reveals Mercedes and Red Bull 'chats'

Alex Albon smiles as Max Verstappen looks stunned — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 star reveals 'chats' around long-term future amid Mercedes and Red Bull links

There have been rumours linking him to two big moves

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 9 February 2024 20:27 Updated: 20:41

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Alex Albon has truthfully admitted that there have been 'general chats' about his long-term future, with the rumour mill swirling with links to both world champions Red Bull and Mercedes in 2025.

The Thai driver previously partnered Max Verstappen at Red Bull at the back end of 2019, and a full season in 2020, before being removed from his position following some poor results.

Albon then spent a year on the sidelines before making a full-time return to the grid in 2022, when Williams offered him a drive.

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Since then, Albon has excelled and almost single-handedly dragged the Grove-based team into seventh in the constructors' standings last year, with some brilliant drives.

That has put him in contention for a drive with a bigger team, with Red Bull potentially looking for a replacement for the start of 2025, and Mercedes knowing that they will have to fill the void left behind by Lewis Hamilton's move ahead of that very same season.

Alex Albon has had a new lease of life with the Williams team

Alex Albon previously raced at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen

Lewis Hamilton's move to Ferrari in 2025 is likely to have a huge impact on the driver market

Albon linked with Hamilton's vacant Mercedes seat

Albon's current Williams contract is due to expire at the end of 2024, the same time as Sergio Perez's at Red Bull, and there had been reports that the 27-year-old had already signed a three-year deal with his former team.

However, Mercedes are likely to have something to say about that, with Hamilton's shock Ferrari switch sending shockwaves around the world of F1.

"I would be denying it if I said that there [haven't] been questions and general chats surrounding around that [my future], but truthfully it's not really personally my area, that's more my management, my focus is on driving," Albon said at Williams' season launch.

"Where I stand is, I'm very excited to see how this FW46 develops, I want to see how the car feels in Bahrain and the subsequent four, five, six races and really get a feel for the progression that I hope we've made as a team.

"My whole focus is on Williams and that's where I see myself. The rate of progression to me is also very important, so time will tell."

He added: "I feel like I'm very close to my peak. There are always improvements to be done and there are still areas to improve, but generally, with my experience now and where I am, I feel like I am deserving of a car that can score podiums and fight for wins. And that's just being totally honest with how I see myself.

"More than anything, I want that team to be Williams and that's where I put all my work and all my efforts into.

"It's very clear to me, especially when you see the driver market, there's a huge interest in teams wanting the same driver for '25 and '26. That's how it looks like it's playing out. And let's see about that."