OFFICIAL: Williams recruits Albon and confirms Latifi for 2022

Alex Albon finds a seat on the Formula 1 grid in 2022. After an unconvincing stint at Red Bull last year, the Austrian team decided to replace him with Sergio Perez. But for the past few months, the Albon camp had been pressuring to find a place in a team. With Tsunoda’s arrival at AlphaTauri this year and Perez’s extension for an additional year on the Red Bull side, it was evident to the Thai driver that his F1 adventure would not continue in the same team.

A few weeks ago, Williams and Alfa Romeo were monitoring closely the case of Albon. It seems that Kimi Räikkönen’s departure and Valtteri Bottas’s arrival to replace him at Alfa Romeo triggered the transfer market. On the other hand, Red Bull was doing everything possible to reach an agreement with a team for their replacement driver, and Williams was in pole position.

It’s done! Alex Albon joins Williams in 2022 and will be able to witness the new era of F1 in a single-seater. He will be alongside Nicholas Latifi who continues his adventure for a third consecutive year. The Thai driver is excited to make his comeback.

(e) I am really excited and looking forward to getting back in a Formula 1 seat in 2022. I am extremely grateful to Red Bull and Williams for believing in me and helping me on my return to the grid. It’s great to see all the progress Williams has made as a team this year, and I look forward to helping them continue this journey in 2022.

Jost Capito is simply happy to have a new talented young driver. He will be able to rely on the experience gained by Albon at Red Bull to continue working on the development of the car.

« Alex is one of the most exciting young talents in motorsport, but he has significant experience in F1 since his time at Red Bull. His multiple podiums highlight his speed as a driver, and we know he will immediately feel comfortable with the team.

Nicholas Latifi confirmed for 2022

Uncertain about his future in F1, Latifi will continue the adventure for another year at Williams. The Canadian is having a good season, scoring 7 points. He still wishes to improve and take advantage of the opportunities that will come next year.

« I am delighted to continue with Williams for another year, partly because of the new technical regulations in F1, but also because the team is moving in a more competitive direction with new owners, management, and technical personnel. I have felt at home here since the day I arrived and I believe I am in the right place to continue on my positive trajectory. The aim is to continue making small improvements so that we can all benefit from opportunities next year. I am super excited to work with next year’s car, and it feels like a fresh start for everyone. I feel privileged to be part of this change.

Capito has seen the progress of his driver this season and once again gives him his trust.

« Nicholas has always impressed us over the past three years with his hard work and positive attitude. He has continued to grow throughout his time at Williams and has become an impressive F1 driver, as demonstrated by his standout moments this season. We are now looking forward to building on our positive momentum as a team and finishing this season as strongly as possible.