Verstappen: 'I am very happy that Albon is back in F1'

Last week the move of Alexander Albon to Williams was confirmed by Williams. He will sit next to Nicholas Latifi next year and try to get Williams to start a new period in Formula 1 in the best possible way. Many drivers have already reacted to the switch, and today Max Verstappen did too.

Verstappen, a former teammate at Red Bull, is very happy for Albon. During the press conference prior to the weekend in Monza the Dutchman says, quoted by Motorsport.com, that Albon belongs in Formula 1.

"I'm very happy that Alex is returning to Formula One. He's a great guy and a hard worker. He definitely deserves a place in Formula One. He has a lot of talent, so I'm sure he will be strong on his return and show good results."

Verstappen talks a lot with Albon at Red Bull

Indeed, Albon's role at Red Bull, where he does the simulations, is quite big. In this way, Verstappen also has a good idea of Albon's qualities.

"We talk to each other a lot about the car. If Alex is in the simulator, then of course he shares his findings. So if we have questions after Friday and Alex is in the simulator, he comes into the picture. He also knows the car. Of course the car has changed a little bit compared to last year, but in general he drives the same. So he has a good idea of what is going on in the car and what is going on in terms of developments. It's very useful to have him in the simulator."

"It's difficult for me to say anything about that," the Dutchman continued when asked if Albon will be better suited to Williams than Red Bull.

"I don't know how he looks at that himself, but he knows he has the speed. I think we all know that. He has shown that since karting. But maybe it's good for him to come back into an environment where there's a little bit less pressure. I'm sure he'll do well. Of course he'll have to get used to the car, but we'll all have to do that next year because of the new rules. He'll be fine."

Albon will want to prove himself regardless, as it is quite possible that he will return to Red Bull's ranks in 2023. Still, Albon himself will be focused at the moment on 2022, where he will help Williams make the transition to a new car and new regulations go smoothly.