Grove, August 18, 2026
Thai Formula 1 driver Alexander Albon has extended his contract with the Williams team by another year and will also start for the British racing outfit in the 2027 season.
The British Formula 1 team Williams announced the news on Tuesday. Albon, who has been racing for the team since 2022, has been handed a new contract that secures his stay beyond the original contract term. With the extension, Williams sends a signal of continuity amid a period of upheaval.
The London-born driver with Thai citizenship stressed that the difficult season in particular provides him with additional motivation. "A difficult year doesn't tell the whole story, and it only gives me even more motivation to keep building and pushing forward together with the factory team and our fans to achieve great things," Albon said in a team statement. The 29-year-old had not scored any points so far in the current 2026 season.
Career stations and statistics
In his Formula 1 career to date, Albon has achieved two third-place finishes across a total of 138 Grand Prix races. He drove for Red Bull between 2019 and 2020 before moving to the Williams team from 2022, a squad that at that time stood at the bottom of the constructors' standings. With his experience, Albon is regarded as a central figure in the team's development process.
Williams had initiated a comprehensive overhaul last winter, including the signing of Carlos Sainz as Albon's new teammate. Sainz had previously driven for Ferrari and had come to Grove as the successor to Logan Sargeant. The driver pairing is intended to drive forward the sporting turnaround of the traditional racing outfit.
The background to the contract extension also includes the planned takeover by a new ownership group centered around the American investor Dorilton Capital. The team is also preparing for a comprehensive set of regulation changes in Formula 1 from 2026 onward, which will end the era of combustion engines and significantly increase the share of electric powertrains.
Changes at Williams
Albon's contract covers the 2027 season and therefore also the first year of the next contract period in the top flight of motorsport. Williams hopes that, with Albon alongside the experienced Sainz, it can further close the gap to the leading teams.
Even before the announcement of the extension, several media outlets had reported an agreement between the two sides. Team principal James Vowles had repeatedly emphasized that Albon plays a key role in the long-term direction of the team. This assessment is now underscored by the early extension.
Looking ahead to the upcoming races, Albon stated that he is looking forward to working with the team over the coming years. The next race on the calendar takes place next weekend in Budapest. Albon has scored points at the Hungarian venue in the past.
Outlook on Hungary
Williams is one of the oldest and most successful teams in Formula 1 history, but has lost sporting ground in recent years. With Albon's contract extension, the team is now underlining its ambition to consistently drive its recovery into the upper half of the field.
The announcement came just a few hours before the Hungarian Grand Prix, which takes place on Sunday at the Hungaroring. Albon and his teammate Sainz want to build on last year's success there, when Williams had surprisingly strong form.