Breaking: Albon signs new multi-year F1 contract.
Another piece of the driver market puzzle has fallen into place as Alex Albon has committed to a new multi-year contract. "I am incredibly happy to be remaining with Williams Racing and to continue working with such a talented and dedicated team of people,” Albon said.
15 May 2024
Fergal Walsh
RacingNews365

Alex Albon has committed his Formula 1 future to the Williams team, signing a multi-year extension with the Grove-based squad. The new deal will take Albon into the new era of technical regulations, which come into play in 2026.

“It has been a difficult start to the year but since joining Williams we have made significant progress together and I have seen the huge changes happening behind the scenes to take us back to the front of the grid.”

“This is a long-term project that I really believe in and want to play a key role in which is why I have signed a multi-year contract. The journey will take time but I am confident we are building the right team to move forward and achieve great things in the years to come.”

‘Happy’;

https://racingnews365.com/breaking-a...ar-f1-contract


Alex Albon convinced Williams “on the right path”
May 14, 2024
Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
Last Word On Sports

Williams is in the middle of its first blip in form under James Vowles’s leadership. The former Mercedes strategist is overseeing a series of changes that he believes are necessary for long-term success. Unfortunately, as the 44-year-old has explained, this often comes at the cost of immediate performance. As Williams undergoes this process, Alex Albon remains optimistic about the future.

The British outfit is yet to score points in 2024, which is undoubtedly a difficult pill to swallow. Still, Alex Albon is still hopeful that progress is on the horizon: “I have a lot of trust in James and know that he’s making the right decisions and that it is the right path,” Motorsport-total quotes him as saying.”

“We lacked pace and were a little late with our updates. I believe the team is strong and healthy – I have a feeling there will be an improvement. It’s always nice when it happens straight away, but James is the right man for this job. There is definitely progress.”

“Right path”;

https://lastwordonsports.com/motorsp...he-right-path/


Why is a 'champion-level' F1 driver committing to a point-less team?
May 15, 2024
Scott Mitchell-Malm, Edd Straw
The Race

Why has a driver linked with Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes over the past year committed to a point-less Formula 1 team that has had an incredibly underwhelming first few months of 2024? The Williams FW46 is a better car than last year’s, yet paradoxically has yet to score a point – something the team hopes to start to change with the first of a series of upgrades at Imola this weekend.

By producing a car that is ‘better’ – as in more consistent across a wide range of tracks rather than being ‘overpowered’ on certain tracks and strong on the straights – this has made it more difficult to score. “That’s a fair assessment,” said Albon when The Race put it to him that the Williams is more of an all-rounder than the 2023 car but lacking in the peaks that make it easier to score points.

“Corner to corner, for the most part, it’s better. There are definitely areas where it’s a little more unstable than last year, but that’s just the philosophy we went down. There is performance on the table. When and if we can unlock it, I do believe we can score points regularly. We’re balancing a little bit of just lack of upgrades - we’ve been late since the shakedown and we haven’t really put out a decent update at all this year so far, so we’re falling behind.”

‘Why?’

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/a...ontract-logic/


Williams F1 News: Alex Albon Confirms Future After Non-Committal Comments
May 15, 2024
Lydia Mee
Sports Contributing Writer
Newsweek

After recent ambiguous remarks about his future, Alex Albon has officially signed a multi-year extension with Williams Racing. Alex Albon has dispelled uncertainties surrounding his tenure at Williams Racing by signing a multi-year contract extension. Although the length of the contract has not been confirmed, it will see him into the next regulation change in 2026. Williams Racing's commitment to Albon is equally firm, with Team Principal Vowles highlighting the importance of Albon's continuity. He commented in the same press release:

"We are delighted to secure Alex's long-term future with Williams Racing. He has exceptional talent, technical input and dedication to the cause and this is a huge vote of confidence in Williams and the journey back to competitiveness that we are on. Since joining, Alex has consistently demonstrated his ability to perform under pressure, and signing him for the long-term is a big piece of the puzzle of moving us up the grid."

‘Future confirmed’;

https://www.newsweek.com/sports/form...0795?piano_t=1


WATCH: ‘I believe in this journey’ – Albon discusses multi-year contract extension with Williams Team Principal James Vowles
May 15, 2024
Formula One - Official Site

With Alex Albon having put pen to paper on a multi-year extension that will see him remain at Williams into Formula 1’s new regulations era in 2026, the Thai driver sat down with Williams Team Principal James Vowles to discuss what it means for the Grove-based squad.

“Doing this is a huge vote of confidence for the team,” Vowles tells Albon. “You saw the reaction [from the team] downstairs. That’s a better reaction than when I joined actually… You were in demand, and rightly so.”

“I know we’ve really only put pen to paper not so long ago,” says Albon, “but in the process it’s been about trying to use this as a shift to everyone, to try and motivate everyone. I’m hoping the fact that I believe in this team, to everyone at the factory – that’s reason in itself to realise that we all can do this and I feel like, and I hope, I can give that reassurance in some ways to everyone to know that I believe in this journey, so you should too.”

“I believe”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...IhsjqxCoSORRX9


James Vowles sends message to Alex Albon after confirming Williams contract extension
15 May 2024
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Williams star Alex Albon has confirmed he’s signed a new contract with the team much to the delight of team principal James Vowles. The 2024 Formula 1 driver’s market Is incredibly volatile at this stage and Alex Albon is one of the few positives from the past 18 months for Williams.

James Vowles keen to build Williams project around Alex Albon. Posting on Instagram after the announcement, Vowles said: “Our project is not one of a year, but a transformation across many seasons as we fight back up the field.

“I am pleased to announce that Alex will be by our side for that journey, signing a multi-year deal to remain with Williams. I have had the fortune of knowing Alex for many years, he showed the world what he is capable of in 2023 and I cannot wait for us to build this team together over the years to come.”

“By our side”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jam...act-extension/


Alex Albon commits long-term future to Williams as Mercedes forced to look elsewhere
Alex Albon has committed his long-term future to Williams, having enjoyed a successful two years with the team since returning to the sport in 2022 as boss James Vowles looks to change their fortunes
15 May 2024
By Jacob Leeks Senior Sports Reporter
The Mirror

Alex Albon has signed a multi-year contract with Williams to commit his long-term future to the storied team. Albon is in his third season with the English team and has become their lead driver, scoring 31 points since taking on the seat. His performances had impressed many pundits, with rival teams also eyeing moves for him ahead of next season.

Williams will be relieved to tie down their top driver, as their overhaul under the watch of team principal James Vowles continues. In a statement announcing Albon's new deal, they insisted it shows there is a 'shared belief' the team can return to the top of the sport.

‘Looking elsewhere’;

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formu...tract-32814377


Our verdict on Albon's renewed Williams F1 commitment
Alex Albon has been tied down to Williams on a long-term deal - hear what the team at RacingNews365 make of the major commitment.
15 May 2024
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

Jake Nichol - Albon didn't have any other choice. In the end, Albon didn't have anywhere else to go and re-signing with Williams was the best, and only choice, he had.

Fergal Walsh - The best of a tricky situation. Albon's position in the driver market saga cooled off greatly once James Vowles made it clear he had a deal in place already for the 2025 season.

Samuel Coop - A benefit for Williams, rather than Albon. In some ways, I’m surprised and maybe even a bit disappointed – not that it is my place to be. Alex Albon has more than proven himself since joining Williams and his talents are arguably not being fully utilised there – his form warrants a more competitive seat, and he was surely pushing for one.

‘Our verdict’;

https://racingnews365.com/our-verdic...-f1-commitment