Alex Albon’s future in Formula 1 has been secured for the long term.
Alex Albon confirmed the “safe bet” of having Mercedes power in 2026 was a factor behind him committing his future to Williams for the long term.
Williams will continue to be customers of Mercedes even after Formula 1 undergoes a major regulation reset in 2026, where both the chassis and power units will undergo significant changes from their current state on the grid.
Alex Albon: Mercedes ‘time and time again’ are ‘safe bet’ in regulation changes
In order to meet the upcoming demands, power unit manufacturers are diligently striving to establish their 2026 power units. Audi has recently entered the scene as a factory team, while Ford has partnered with Red Bull as the sport continues to grow.
But given Mercedes’ record in the previous set of regulation changes, the team powering its way to unprecedented continued success at the start of the turbo hybrid era from 2014, Albon admitted their success was a factor in getting him to decide to stay at Williams until at least 2026.
“For sure it is, I think Mercedes time and time again, when it comes to these regulation changes, they seem to be one step ahead of their rivals,” Albon told Total Motorsport.
While I don’t want to discredit other teams’ abilities, I believe it is a reasonably secure assumption that we will excel.
I’m certain that the other midfield teams, who are introducing a new power unit, will invest heavily to ensure a strong start.
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Simultaneously, I am optimistic that in 2026, even if we are still in the process of constructing our facility, we will have a formidable power unit to accompany us, ensuring our performance remains robust. Although my ultimate goal is to achieve peak performance by that year, even if we fall slightly short, we will not be lacking in terms of a strong power unit.
Albon acknowledged that he had various choices available for the upcoming season, while team principal James Vowles expressed his satisfaction in retaining the Thai-British driver for the future.
However, the ex-Red Bull driver admitted that his familiarity with the team, trust in Vowles’ leadership, and the dynamic nature of the driver market all played a significant role in influencing his decision.
Albon confessed that there existed a handful of choices to select from when deciding where he desired to be.
Ultimately, the Williams route felt familiar and trustworthy to me, given my several years of experience here. It was not only the path I was familiar with, but also the one I had faith in.
“The driver market remains in constant flux, as it was when I initially signed my Williams contract, with changes occurring on a weekly basis.”
As the year progressed, I found myself facing a challenging situation. However, my belief in the team, the project, and the journey grew stronger. James consistently reminded me of our current position, which ultimately influenced my decision in a natural way.
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