James Vowles claims Alex Albon can become an ‘F1 world champion’

Alex Albon has impressed the entire paddock since returning to F1 with Williams in 2022.

James Vowles claims Alex Albon can become an ‘F1 world champion’

James Vowles [L] Alex Albon [R] (images via IMAGO)

Alex Albon made a surprise F1 debut in 2019 with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri). The British-Thai driver was promoted to Red Bull as Max Verstappen‘s teammate mid-way through his rookie season. However, the 27-year-old faced a difficult time at Milton Keynes and was shifted to a reserve role in 2021. Since then, Albon has reestablished himself as a formidable talent at Williams. Now Williams Team Principal James Vowles has claimed that the former Red Bull driver can win the F1 world title.

Vowles pointed out that Alex Abon had become a much better driver since his time at Red Bull. The team boss reckoned that the 27-year-old was now much more confident and was happier than his previous stint in F1. Certainly, Williams had helped provide the right environment to the British-Thai driver in the past two seasons.

The Alex [Albon] you see today is different from the Alex when he was at Red Bull or the Alex at the beginning of the season. He still lacked faith in himself. He has it now. He is happy, he is a leader, he has self-confidence, he works in a structured way and sets the direction. 
James Vowles told Auto Motor und Sport
YouTube video

The Williams boss reckoned that Albon would always get the most out of the car no matter the situation. Moreover, James Vowles pointed out that the British-Thai driver could deal with high-pressure situations and even a hard-to-drive car. Subsequently, Vowles was adamant that the 27-year-old has what it takes to become a Formula 1 world champion in the future.

FS Video
Today I know from Alex that he gets the maximum out of the car available to him at any time. And every time you put him under pressure, he withstands the pressure... For me, Alex has the skills to become world champion once. I mean that honestly.

Alex Albon might leave Williams in the future

Williams has recognized the role Alex Albon has played at the team in the past two seasons. The 27-year-old has provided the Grove-based squad with much-needed direction and stability since joining in 2022. As such, James Vowles would be keen on securing Albon for the long term.

George Russell and Alex Albon
George Russell and Alex Albon (Image credit: Motorsport.com)

However, rumors had emerged that rival teams were interested in signing the 27-year-old. Albon presently has a contract till 2024 with a reported agreement for 2025 with Williams. Although, there has been no official information regarding such an extension. As such, it is possible that Alex Albon could leave the Grove-based team after the 2024 season.

Certainly, James Vowles and Williams need Alex Albon in their line-up for the foreseeable future. The 27-year-old has proved to be the ideal lead driver for the Grove-based team. However, Albon still aims to win the world title and as such could move to a better prospect in the future. It remains to be seen if the former Red Bull driver stays put at Williams in the near future.

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