Alex Albon has now opened up on the ‘strange’ feeling the star Formula 1 driver has felt since agreeing to a new contract with Williams through at least the 2026 season.
The 28-year-old put pen to paper on fresh terms with the Grove squad earlier in May. Albon was previously set to be out of contract with Williams at the end of the 2025 season. But he will see in the start of Formula 1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulation changes at the squad.
Williams confirmed that Albon had signed a multi-year contract extension that locked him in through at least 2026. It is believed that his terms run up to the end of 2027. Team principal James Vowles sought to take his highly-rated driver off the market after Albon drew interest.
Williams star Alex Albon admits it is ‘strange’ having a long-term contract
Albon emerged as a potential target for Mercedes and Red Bull amid doubts over their driver line-ups for 2025 and beyond. The Silver Arrows mulled a move to sign the London-born Thai after Lewis Hamilton announced his departure. He will join Ferrari for the 2025 season.
Red Bull also moved to thwart any interest from Mercedes with Sergio Perez a free agent at the end of 2024. Reports by Motorsport.com in March claimed that the Milton Keynes team attempted to seal a first option to sign Albon for 2026. But he has re-committed to Williams.
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It is the first time in Albon’s racing career that he has agreed a long-term contract. The two-time Grand Prix podium finisher had only signed single-year deals since he was 10 years old up to 2022. So, for Albon to be signed to Williams through 2026, he finds it all ‘a bit strange’.
“To be honest, it’s a bit strange,” he admitted to Motorsport-Total about having a long-term deal. “As racing drivers, we practically live our whole lives on one-year contracts. Since I was 10 years old, I lived from year to year, not knowing if I would still be racing the next year.
“That’s the reality for most drivers in the junior series. That’s how I’ve always known it and I’ve never known it any other way.”
Alex Albon snubbed interest from Mercedes and Red Bull
His new contract with Williams is not the first long-term deal he has ever agreed. The Grove squad gave the London-born Thai improved terms in August 2022 during his first season for the team. The deal also locked the former Red Bull driver down through to the end of 2025.
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But Albon now has a fully secured future in Grove through potentially the 2027 season. His previous contract was initially believed to expire at the end of the 2024 season. But Vowles clarified in February that Williams had Albon locked down through 2025 to fend off interest.
Red Bull were considering offering Albon his return to Milton Keynes after showing he could lead Williams in 2023. The ex-Red Bull academy driver raced for the Formula 1 frontrunners from mid-2019 through 2020. But he struggled to get to grips with their car over 26 rounds.
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