Alex Albon delivers clear message on Williams future: 'My stock has gone up'

Alex Albon has delivered a clear message that he is committed to Williams for the long-term future, despite his stock value having significantly "gone up".  The Thai-British driver is currently contracted until at least the end of 2026, following a new multi-year deal having been signed last season. Albon has excelled since joining Williams at the start of the 2022 campaign after spending a season outside of Formula 1 after being axed by Red Bull.  Red Bull opted to replace Albon with Sergio Perez for the 2021 season, resulting in a year of racing in the DTM series.  Eager to get back onto the grid, Albon sealed a move to Williams for 2022 and cut all ties to Red Bull at the end of his first campaign with the British outfit.  He has delivered since joining the Grove-based team, quickly becoming its leader after the departure of George Russell to Mercedes. Albon has scored the vast majority of Williams' points since he joined, and has played an integral part in its return towards the top-half of the field. Unsurprisingly, the 29-year-old's performances resulted in speculation linking him with a move back to Red Bull for the current season, although nothing happened. With 54 points already in 2025, his value has continued to increase. Albon has experienced a remarkable amount over a relatively short period of time in F1, and is committed to completing the journey Williams is currently on with team boss James Vowles. Asked if his head could turn if an opportunity arose, Albon told RacingNews365 during an interview: "I think it's clear that my stock has gone up this year, but the focus is still on [Williams]. My contract still fairly lengthy, and I want to see where we come out to, in all honesty.  "There's clearly JB (Jenson Button) and people who've been in the team for a while, but I feel like I pulled so much of my time and energy and soul into getting this car up the grid. I want to see it through.  "I want to see the fruits of where we get to. I feel like we made it. When I look at us compared to other teams, maybe you can remove or add McLaren, but McLaren have had the consistency, and they've had their sparks throughout the years.  "When I look at Williams and look at the trajectory that we've been on, I don't think there's another team that have just gone year on year, just this consecutive steep climb.  "And I feel like, rightly or wrongly, I've been a part of that process, and I want to see us go the whole way."