Williams F1 star issues contract update in 2025 team-mate talks

Williams

Williams star issues contract update in 2025 team-mate talks

Williams F1 team are hoping to turn their luck around over the next couple of seasons

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Friday 21 February 2025 13:55

Williams Formula 1 star Alex Albon has opened up about his long-term future with the team and where he and new team-mate Carlos Sainz see themselves taking the struggling outfit.

Albon will enter his fourth season with Williams, and this year will race alongside former Ferrari star Sainz after team principal James Vowles secured his highly sought-after signature last year following his departure from the Scuderia.

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Both Sainz and Albon have raced for multiple teams across the F1 grid, and share the common experience of getting their start in the sport with the Red Bull junior team.

It wasn't until Sainz left the Red Bull family in 2017, however, that he began to creep up the order, becoming a regular points-scoring driver. Following his switch to Ferrari in 2021, the Spaniard became a serious contender for race wins, and finally secured his maiden grand prix victory a year later at Silverstone.

His move to join Albon at Williams means that Sainz is unlikely to find himself finishing among the points as frequently as he may have become accustomed to, and with the sport's regulation overhaul on the horizon, both drivers have their work cut out if they want to help Williams get back to winning ways.

Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon are F1 team-mates for 2025

Carlos Sainz has left Ferrari to race alongside Alex Albon

Carlos Sainz's first official Williams F1 cap is available to purchase here featuring his driver number 55.

Albon delivers confident statement over F1 future

In 2026, new regulations will sweep through F1 as teams and drivers across the grid aim to get ahead of the changes this year.

On a recent episode of the Fast and the Curious podcast, Albon was asked whether he feels frustration at having to claw back from the back of the pack with Williams when regulation changes take place, responding: "Maybe if you were like McLaren or Ferrari or Red Bull or Mercedes yes, but with us our fight feels very different to theirs.

"It has always been long-term I think that’s why you see I’ve signed a long-term contract, Carlos has, the partners that have come in, everyone sees the vision of it.

"Of course in the moment you don’t want to be fighting for P11, P12, and the odd point here obviously is great but we want to be fighting for podiums, we want to be fighting for race wins and the simple answer is, to do that, you need to sacrifice a little bit early on so that’s what we’re doing."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Ferrari Carlos Sainz Williams Silverstone