Alex Albon drops cheeky tweet announcing multi-year contract extension with Williams F1

Williams has announced that Alex Albon has signed a contract with the team to continue the partnership for the 2023 season and beyond. The driver took to social media to confirm the news in cheeky fashion amidst all the chaos that has taken over Alpine when it comes to its driver line-up and announcements.

In a Twitter post, Albon wrote:

“I understand that, with my agreement, Williams Racing have put out a press release this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is right and I have signed a contract with Williams for 2023. I will be driving for Williams next year.”

It was also a hilarious dig at the Oscar Piastri-Alpine situation, who put out a social media post denying signing a contract with Alpine shortly after the team announced that the Aussie would be joining to partner Esteban Ocon in 2023.

Piastri confirmed that the announcement was made without his agreement and that he will not be driving for Alpine next season. The post read:

“I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.”

In the official press statement, however, Alex Albon expressed his "excitement" about continuing his journey with Williams and said:

“It’s really exciting to be staying with Williams Racing for 2023, and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team in the remainder of this season and next year. The team is pushing hard to progress, and I am really motivated to continue this journey and further develop our learnings together.”

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Alex Albon is a "loyal team member", says Williams boss

Alex Albon returned to F1 at the start of the 2022 season to partner Nicholas Latifi at Williams and has already proven himself to be a strong asset to the team. With some mega performances in Melbourne and Imola, Albon has given the team a ray of hope.

Williams CEO and team principal Jost Capito described the 26-year-old as a "fierce competitor," whilst praising him for the work he has done for the team so far. He said:

“Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future. He’s a fierce competitor, has proved a popular and loyal team member and we are delighted that he will provide a stable base for us to continue to develop in this new F1 car era.”

While it is unclear how many seasons the contract is for, Alex Albon's impressive form over the first half of the season, despite having a less competitive package, could indicate a long-term deal. The team is yet to announce whether or not Nicholas Latifi will continue with the team beyond 2022.