Alex Albon was already set to stay at Williams until the end of 2025 but has doubled down his commitment to the team by signing a new contract.
Williams announced on Wednesday that Alex Albon had agreed a new ‘long-term’ deal that will see the 28-year-old drive for the British outfit when Formula 1’s new regulations are introduced in 2026.
Speaking on The Race Podcast about Albon’s new deal, journalist Scott Mitchell-Malm shared that Albon did hold talks with one other team on the grid.
Team principal James Vowles has previously suggested that Albon has the potential to be a future world champion.
At this moment, it seems nearly impossible to believe that he could achieve that feat by staying at Williams.
Albon may be wondering what opportunities existed elsewhere on the grid and held initial talks with Mercedes.
Toto Wolff’s team aren’t in a brilliant position right now after another season of struggling to understand the current regulations.
However, they have proven to have the pedigree to win Formula 1 titles and a seat to fill for the 2025 season.
READ MORE: Williams driver Alex Albon’s life outside F1 from net worth, girlfriend to parents
Alex Albon held ‘tentative initial’ talks with Mercedes before signing Williams contract
The driver’s market is in a volatile position this season but hasn’t necessarily worked to Alex Albon’s advantage.
He was sensational in 2023, almost single-handedly leading Williams to 7 place in the Constructors Championship and putting himself on the radar of several top teams.
Red Bull were reportedly interest in a potential return for Albon but their driver situation is complicated, to say the least.
Ferrari and McLaren had already confirmed their driver line-ups while Fernando Alonso decided to stay put at Aston Martin with Lance Stroll showing no signs of moving on.
That left Mercedes as the only option at the front of the grid for Albon and despite holding talks, it makes sense that he wasn’t enthralled by what they were likely offering him.
George Russell is embedded in the team and doesn’t look like he’s going anywhere and Wolff has another driver lined up to his teammate for the foreseeable future.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Mercedes AMG F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Alex Albon set to lead Williams into the next era of Formula 1
Talking about Albon’s options, Mitchell-Malm said: “It would be nice absolutely for [Alex] Albon to have a better seat and he does deserve one in the short term.
“But, the only one that looked like [it was] even remotely possible really would be at Mercedes.
“And I believe there were some tentative initial conversations but Albon realised quite quickly that he’d basically just be a stop-gap there because they’re dead set on Andrea Kimi Antonelli at some point.
“I think if it’s a case of do you go somewhere better for a year or two but something that still won’t let you achieve your ultimate goals or do you bank on this as a longer-term thing with security and hopefully the high upside that you believe is there.
“If it’s second prize then it’s a pretty good consolation.”
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship
Andrea Kimi Antonelli appears to be the man Mercedes want to replace Lewis Hamilton and that could be why talks between Albon and the German manufacturer never progressed.
Albon might get a closer look at how quick the Italian is very soon.
The 17-year-old is one of the most likely replacements for Albon’s teammate Logan Sargeant who hasn’t reached the level expected of him in Formula 1.
Antonelli could be hired by Williams as early as the Italian Grand Prix this year.
While the rush to get him into the car has cooled slightly, Mercedes will get an early indication of how fast the Italian is if he ends up in the same car as Albon.
The post ‘The only one’: Alex Albon held ‘tentative’ talks with top F1 team before resigning for Williams – journalist appeared first on F1 Oversteer.