After a year on the side-lines, Alexander Albon will re-join the Formula 1 grid in 2022 after being signed to race for Williams Racing alongside Nicholas Latifi.
Albon was dropped from his seat at Red Bull Racing at the end of the 2020 season and has been acting as their reserve and test driver for 2021, but he will now find himself back in a race seat for 2022 as he takes the place of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team bound George Russell.
The Anglo-Thai driver has been impressed by the progress made by Williams in 2021, and he is eager to help them continue that development into 2022, when the new aerodynamic regulations come into effect.
“I am really excited and looking forward to returning to a Formula 1 race seat in 2022,” said Albon. “When you take a year out of F1 it’s never certain you will make a return so I’m extremely thankful to Red Bull and Williams for believing in me and helping me on my journey back to the grid.
“It’s also been great to see all the progress Williams have been making as a team this year and I look forward to helping them continue that journey in 2022.
“My focus now returns to my Test & Reserve Driver role at Red Bull and helping the team fight for this year’s world championship.”
Latifi will stay with Williams for a third consecutive campaign, and the Canadian is eager to continue helping them move forward having secured his first points finishes of his career in 2021.
Latifi secured an excellent seventh place finish in the Hungarian Grand Prix and then followed that up with another top ten in Belgium, and he feels the team have been moving in a more competitive direction since the new owners came in last year.
“I’m excited to be continuing with Williams for another year; partly because of F1’s new technical regulations, but also because the team is moving in a more competitive direction with new owners, management and people on the technical side,” said Latifi.
“I’ve felt at home here since the day I arrived, and I think I’m in the right place to continue with my positive trajectory. The aim is to continue making little improvements so we can all take advantage of the opportunity we have next year.
“I’m super excited to work with next year’s car and it’s like a fresh start for everybody. I feel privileged to be part of that change.”
