F1Oversteer understands that Williams set Alex Albon is now in discussions with the team over his future with the Formula 1 driver’s market set to burst into action in the coming weeks and months.
After a winter of rare stability on the grid when all 20 drivers retained their current seats, teams are starting to put plans in place to try and improve their line-ups for 2025 and beyond.
McLaren and Ferrari were the first teams to blink, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri tied down to long-term deals, while Frederic Vasseur extended Charles Leclerc’s contract before pulling off one of the biggest deals in F1 history.
On the eve of the 2024 season, it was announced that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes to head to Maranello which looks set to cause one of the biggest shake-ups of the grid in recent memory.
Carlos Sainz is likely to be central to that as he’s the only current driver who knows he needs to find a new team for next year.
However, with Max Verstappen’s future not completely set in stone and Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso both entering the last years of their contracts, there are plenty of opportunities out there.
That means one of the most highly-rated drivers on the grid, Alex Albon, could play his part in the potential chaos and F1Oversteer understand he’s now in discussions over his future with Williams.
READ MORE: Every Formula 1 driver’s contract situation for the 2024 season and beyond
Williams driver Alex Albon now in discussion over his Formula 1 future
Even though more than half of the grid is out of contract at the end of the season, it’s a driver with plenty of time left on his current deal that will be central to many movements ahead of next year.
Max Verstappen is the prize asset in Formula 1 right now and even though his contract isn’t set to end until the end of 2028, internal struggles at Red Bull mean he’s now a potential target for other teams.
Toto Wolff would love to bring him to Mercedes, while Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll would do ‘whatever it takes’ to sign the Dutchman.
Once the three-time world champion either confirms he’s committed to Red Bull or announces an even more shocking move than Hamilton, the rest of the grid can concentrate on where their futures lie.
Alex Albon is another driver who isn’t believed to be out of contract at the end of this season, however, F1Oversteer believes he’s still entering discussions over his future.
At 28, he’s reaching the peak of his racing career and whether he wants to stick around at Williams while they’re struggling to challenge for points let alone podiums is a decision he has to make.
READ MORE: Williams driver Alex Albon’s life outside F1 from net worth, girlfriend to parents
What options could be on the table for Alex Albon?
With Albon heading into discussions over his future, there are several potential seats he could find himself in should he leave Williams.
The most enticing for Albon would potentially be joining current constructors’ champions, Red Bull.
He’s previously spoken about his struggles racing alongside Max Verstappen but he’s a much more confident and competent driver than he was in 2020.
The next option would be Mercedes and filling the vacant seat left by Lewis Hamilton.
He would be a fantastic teammate for close friend George Russell and they would likely complement each other well under the stewardship of Toto Wolff.
The only other team that Albon might consider would be Aston Martin, but that wouldn’t be a huge step up from Williams and there are still question marks over whether Fernando Alonso might leave.
It will be interesting to see where the Thai racer ends up as he’s one of the best options available who isn’t currently driving for a top Formula 1 team.
The post Exclusive: 28-year-old Formula 1 driver now in discussions over his future amid 2025 seat opportunities appeared first on F1 Oversteer.