Analysis | Does Albon deserve another chance at the top of Formula 1?

No one will dispute that Max Verstappen was the absolute standout in Formula 1 during the 2023 season. In the midfield, there was another driver who was a top performer almost every week: Alexander Albon. The Thai driver picked up 27 points for Williams, almost single-handedly responsible for seventh place in the final constructors' championship standings. Has Albon now shown he is ready for a step up?

No doubt Williams will be happy to have Albon under contract for the '24 season as well. The fact that the former Red Bull Racing driver structurally picks up points with an average car may have factored in that Logan Sargeant got a new commitment. After all, even if the American is not good enough for Formula 1 in his second season either, Williams has someone in Thai who can still snatch much-needed points from teams like Sauber and Haas.

Albon 'proud' of his performance

Albon is right to look back on his season with satisfaction. For instance, he said after the closing Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi: "I am very proud of my performance. I am not the most arrogant person, I would say. But I will give myself the credit. I feel I have had a very strong season. I felt that most of my races were not easy."

"They have been races where we have been fighting, fighting, fighting all the time. But I enjoy it. I feel like this is the environment I thrive in. It has been my strongest year in Formula 1. The connection I have with the team has really contributed to that. I feel that this has allowed us to do the races as well as we did," Albon said.

Volatile driver market for '25

After next season, many drivers in Formula 1 - not least Albon's - have their contracts expire. If the Thai manages to match his performance in '24, he will undoubtedly appear on other teams' wish lists. But is he good enough to join (potential) top teams Red Bull Racing (as Sergio Perez's replacement), Ferrari (should negotiations with Sainz come to nothing) or Aston Martin (Alonso and Stroll are uncertain for '25)?

At the start of his Formula 1 career, Albon already drove for Red Bull once. That was not seen as a resounding success then, as Max Verstappen was clearly superior to him. By now, it is well known that every teammate besides Verstappen pales these days, and in retrospect, Albon showed an upward trend in his development and performance even then. That he is no Verstappen is obvious. But if the driver had been given more time back then, he could easily have grown to a similar level (or better) to Sergio Perez.

The always-likeable Albon demonstrated consistency in his performance in '23 and was always at his limit and that of the car. Strange crashes caused by him were a rarity. These are all points that team bosses of the bigger teams consider decisive in their choice of driver. That Albon wiped out his teammate Sargeant every race is also a sign of things to come. After all, your teammate is your main point of reference, and he was crushed in a Verstappen fashion.

Can Albon handle Red Bull or Ferrari?

Older, wiser, and more experienced; Albon will come into a team like Ferrari or Red Bull completely different now. Yes, the pressure will be higher than at Williams - nobody expects to compete for podiums and victories. Drivers who excel in the midfield are not always up to the pressure from the top (see Perez, for example), but there are no signs that Albon would succumb to this. Albon is a sensible guy who is realistic in life. He is also not a cliché machine, but someone who thinks about things. This driver is not going to be fooled by Red Bull or Ferrari.

Will Albon get a second chance at the top? If he has another top year like '23, that is certainly not out of the question. It certainly wouldn't be undeserved in that case.