The Williams team have today announced that ex-Red Bull driver, Alex Albon, will be making his return to the grid next season.
The 23-year-old will be racing alongside Nicholas Latifi after a one-year hiatus from the sport after Red Bull opted to drop him in favour of Sergio Perez.
During his time away, Albon took on the role of reserve and test driver for the Milton Keynes team, however, the two-time podium finisher has been doing everything in his power to return to racing, and Williams have said they’re ‘delighted to welcome’ him.
Speaking about the announcement, Alex Albon said; “I am really excited and looking forward to returning to a Formula 1 race seat in 2022.
“When you take a year out of F1 it’s never certain you will make a return so I’m extremely thankful to Red Bull and Williams for believing in me and helping me on my journey back to the grid.
“It’s also been great to see all the progress Williams have been making as a team this year and I look forward to helping them continue that journey in 2022.
“My focus now returns to my Test & Reserve Driver role at Red Bull and helping the team fight for this year’s world championship.”
Williams Team Principal, Jost Capito added; “It is fantastic to be able to confirm our driver line-up for 2022 and I am delighted to be welcoming Alex to the team, along with confirming our continued relationship with Nicholas into next year.
“We are extremely excited by our new line-up, with both drivers bringing a great blend of youth and experience that will not only be a great fit for the team but also help the team take the next step in our journey.
“Alex is one of the most exciting young talents in motorsport, yet comes with a large amount of F1 experience from his time at Red Bull. His multiple podium finishes highlight his speed as a driver, and we know he will immediately feel at home with the team at Grove.
“Nicholas meanwhile has consistently impressed us over the past three years with his hard work, diligence, and positive attitude. He has continued to develop throughout his time at Williams and has grown into an impressive F1 driver, as seen by his points-scoring finishes this season.
“We are now looking forward to continuing to build on our positive momentum as a team and finishing this season as strongly as possible, before turning our attention to 2022.”
