Does Albon deserve his 2021 seat at Red Bull?
Alexander Albon has just finished his season in Abu Dhabi with a very impressive 4th place, thus proving that he could race at the pace of the leaders. Will this latest performance allow him to keep his seat in 2021?
After a promising 2019 season with Red Bull, a lot was expected from the Thai driver who needed to prove he could perform better than Pierre Gasly. During the first race of 2020 in Austria, he showed very good pace by battling with the Mercedes for the win, but unfortunately for him, he collided with Lewis Hamilton and finished outside the points. Ultimately, 2020 proved to be very challenging for Alexander Albon, with only 2 third-place finishes as his best result compared to the 11 podiums, including 2 victories, by his teammate, Max Verstappen.
As rumors of Perez joining Red Bull intensify, the last races might be the lifeline the Thai driver desperately needed. Indeed, for the first time this season, Alexander Albon showed that he could match the leaders’ pace. Exactly the kind of performance the Austrian team is looking for in its second driver. Having two cars in the Top 4 prevented Mercedes from attempting any alternative strategy, thus securing the victory for Max Verstappen.
Albon declared the following at the end of the race when journalists asked him if he thought this 4th performance would save his seat for next year:
This weekend I did everything I could and now I leave my fate in the hands of others.
What could work in Albon’s favor for keeping his 2021 seat over Sergio Perez is that unlike the Mexican, he is more likely to accept the status of a number 2 driver than the Sakhir Grand Prix winner who is no longer a rookie driver and now aims to join a top team to fight for a world title for the first time in his career.
Despite being beaten by his teammate 17-0 in qualifying and in races whenever the Dutchman didn’t retire, it should still be noted that Albon’s progress in races allowed him to break away from the midfield, and the fact that he contributed to the development of the RB16 is a major asset to help the team come back against Mercedes next year.
On the other hand, Perez’s experience could allow him to better understand the Red Bull and thus fight more frequently among the leaders than the Thai driver. Additionally, the Mexican could bring significant financial support thanks to his Mexican sponsors. Money that Red Bull should not deny the existence of, as the Milton Keynes structure will lose its title sponsor Aston Martin next year.
After the confirmation of Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri, several sources mention the announcement of the second Red Bull driver this Friday.
