Alex Albon says he is welcoming the challenge of going head-to-head as team-mates with incoming Williams driver Carlos Sainz next season.
Sainz will join Williams in 2025 having lost his Ferrari seat as a result of Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster switch from Mercedes.
Albon has been the clear No 1 driver during his three seasons at Williams, with the British-born Thai driver easily outpacing Nicholas Latifi and then Logan Sargeant, but three-time race winner Sainz is widely regarded as one of the sport’s elite drivers.
“It will be a challenge, of course,” Albon said in August following confirmation of Sainz’s signing.
“Carlos is very highly regarded. I welcome it. I feel like it’s great to have that competition and I enjoy that.
“For me, I feel like it’s a great thing to have and we’ll be able to learn from each other.”
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Sky Sports’ Craig Slater discusses whether the difference in what Williams pay Albon and Sainz will impact their relationship as new team-mates
After being promoted from Toro Rosso to Red Bull during his debut F1 campaign in 2019, Albon struggled to match the level of team-mate Max Verstappen and was dropped at the end of 2020.
Albon dismissed the suggestion that he needs a measuring stick of Sainz’s quality to prove he belongs at the top of the sport.
“I always have self-confidence, so I rate myself,” Albon said.
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We take a look at Sainz’s best Formula 1 moments
“And it’s more just around the optics of, more around you guys [the media], I guess, in some ways.
“But it will be a great challenge. I think we’ll push each other hard.
“Especially with his experience, I’ll be really interested to hear what he can bring into the team – not just in terms of feedback about the car but even driving styles and that kind of thing.”
Vowles wary of driver conflict
When Albon signed a multi-year contract extension with Williams in May, it appeared he was firmly established as the team’s leader.
Albon had been seen as a contender for Mercedes and Red Bull in 2025 before signing his deal, and some have questioned whether he would have committed to Williams if he had known Sainz would be joining.
Williams team principal James Vowles, who was at Mercedes during Hamilton’s intense clashes with former team-mate Nico Rosberg, is confident both drivers will focus on pushing the team forward as opposed to beating each other.
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Williams team principal James Vowles recounts the moment he announced to the factory that Sainz would join the team and delves into the values he will bring
“I have worked in teams where there is a larger fight among the drivers than there is with anything else,” Vowles told Sky Sports F1 in August.
“Both Alex and Carlos understand that this is about bringing the team forward and both of those have that characteristic.
“It is not about fighting the small details and getting lost in that moment.”
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