How to rebuild an F1 career
Alex Albon’s future in F1 looked in doubt after he was dropped by Red Bull in 2020. Now, he's one of the most talked-about stars.
Alex Albon has earned constant high praise throughout 2023 and, frankly, he deserves every bit of it - if not more.
Williams does not have one of the best cars in F1, yet Albon has still managed to get himself into the points five times this season, including the last two races in Zandvoort and Monza.
He’s also put his rookie teammate, Logan Sargeant, to shame.
Albon has out-qualified Sargeant at every race, and when they’ve both made it to the finish on Sunday, Albon has always been ahead.
Albon’s points haul this season has single-handedly put Williams ahead of Haas, Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri in the constructors’ championship - and therefore the team is now on course for their best finish in six years.
A hallmark of Albon’s performances this year has been his superb defensive driving.
To achieve points in Canada, Britain and Monza, Albon had to hold back cars which should’ve breezed past him. F1.com described the Monza result as a “defensive masterclass”.
All of this has undoubtedly raised Albon’s profile in F1. It wouldn't be controversial to say he’s now one of the best drivers not racing for a top team.
This is an incredible reputation to have built - and it’s only made more impressive when you consider that just a couple of years ago, his F1 career was in doubt.
At the end of 2020, Albon bore the brunt of F1’s pressure-cooker environment when Red Bull dropped him because he couldn’t keep up with teammate Max Verstappen.
He was replaced by Sergio Perez for 2021 and forced to watch the season from the sidelines. At the time, it seemed as though Albon’s golden opportunity with a top F1 team had slipped through his fingers.
But, through his excellence at Williams, Albon is creating a second chance for himself.
A few months ago, there were rumours that Ferrari was looking to employ him, while just the other week, The Race speculated that he could be a central figure in the 2025 driver market.
Williams team boss James Vowles is confident that Albon is capable of achieving such success, commenting back in Zandvoort that he should be aiming for podiums and wins.
“He has the potential and he frankly deserves to be in that position,” Vowles said.
It is remarkable how Albon has shaken off his dark patch with Red Bull.
It has probably helped that Albon’s replacement, Sergio Perez, has also struggled to match the raw pace of Verstappen, which only underscores the difficulty Albon faced.
In fact, I’d say Perez’s performances have made Albon’s efforts at Red Bull look more respectable.
Just before the summer break, Albon told The Race in an exclusive interview that he wasn’t afraid of returning to a top team in the future. He said he was now driving at his best and there was “still more to come”.
He said: “I feel like I’m a much better driver than I was when I had the first opportunity.”