Albon revelling in Williams 'weight off his shoulders'

Alex Albon is relishing the opportunity to embrace the "luxury" of stability after recently securing his new Williams deal.

The Thai-British driver returned to the grid this season after spending last year on the sidelines following his demotion to reserve and development driver at Red Bull.

Albon also spent time in the German DTM category and coached AlphaTauri's then-rookie Yuki Tsunoda but was given a career reprieve when signing for Williams ahead of F1's new regulatory era.

Despite a lack of pace in the FW44, Albon has delivered stand-out performances to register points in a competitive midfield, earning a multi-year extension on his existing contract.

After spending half a season with Toro Rosso and only 18 months in a race seat with Red Bull, Albon is excited to build on a long-term partnership with Williams.

"It’s something which I don’t think racing drivers have much luxury of normally," said Albon.

"I have never had stability. I’ve always been chasing, chasing, and some years, last year having a year away.

"So it's really great to have that feeling where you can have that weight off your shoulders."

Albon earmarks Williams priority

Albon's extension marks the first time in his F1 career he has been tied down for more than a season, allowing him to take confidence into the next campaign.

"One of the very first goals was to stay in F1 as I rejoined and it's something I can tick off the list and really settle down," he explained.

"That’s why, almost a priority now, is to focus long term on working with the team.

"It’s always that feeling of racing year by year, nobody enjoys that and it feels good to not have that problem anymore."

Related

GPFans Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: Perez given Verstappen team-mate warning at Red Bull

• October 28, 2024 18:57

Latest F1 News

F1 star delivers stunning U-TURN after team-mate frustration jibe

• September 28, 2024 15:02