F1 | Vowles removes Albon from the market: “With Williams until 2025”

In a meeting with the media after the presentation of Williams' 2024 livery, James Vowles denied claims that Alexander Albon is on the driver market and already in contact with several teams.

The team principal revealed that the contract that binds Albon to the team will expire at the end of 2025, information that took even the experts themselves by surprise, mostly convinced that the twenty-seven-year-old Londoner would be released at the end of this season .

“Alex has signed with Williams until the end of 2025 – confirmed Vowles – it is information that I have never made public because frankly I didn't feel the need and, I can confirm, that if anyone claims otherwise they are speculating. I have said several times that our job at Williams is to create a new environment with added values ​​of the caliber of Alex. He is an incredible rider, last year on several occasions he expressed himself at levels that are no different from those of other champions I have worked with.”

“We talk a lot, we discuss the goals we want to achieve and the future of this team. I hope this provides clarity.” Vowles sweeps the field, but in the case of an interest from Mercedes the possibility of a technical counterpart could lead to other decisions.

Vowles also said he was surprised by the Hamilton affair, not so much by Lewis' decision to focus on Ferrari, but by the timing of the operation.
“His desire to get into a Ferrari at a certain point in his career doesn't surprise me – he explained – there are many champions who have made that dream come true and others who still have the desire to be able to make it come true one day. Ferrari is a force of nature, and is still the most successful team in Formula 1. But the timing surprised me, I didn't expect everything to materialize at this stage of the season.”

“Going from a situation in which you feel comfortable to one in which you don't know what awaits you is a challenge that pushes you to the limits – concluded Vowles – and this is an approach that Lewis always uses, everywhere. I think his choice is good for the sport and also for himself, he will put himself to the test again. However, we cannot say that it was good news for Mercedes, at least in the short term, because in the long term I think they will do well with the drivers they have. In the end, it seems like a good thing for everyone.”