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Red Bull is reportedly looking to bring Alex Albon back to the team next year for the 2026 F1 season under the new regulations. He was previously paired with Max Verstappen for a season and a half in 2019 and 2020.
However, his performances (in comparison to his teammate) were not strong enough, and he failed to clinch some crucial points for the team. In the time that Verstappen managed to score 15 podiums, Albon was stuck with just one. Subsequently, he was replaced by Sergio Perez in the 2021 season, and he then moved to Williams Racing in 2022.
Ironically, the team is planning to sign him back as Yuki Tsunoda hasn't been able to deliver strong performances this year; meanwhile, Verstappen has won four races so far.
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Red Bull's shareholder, Chalerm Yoovidhya, is also said to be interested in signing the Thai driver. Moreover, the reports further claim that Yoovidhya is willing to pay a hefty transfer fee, or his exit clause fee at Williams Racing, to sign him back.
Alex Albon has improved massively over the years. He has managed to deliver consistent and competitive results this season, alongside his new teammate Carlos Sainz. The duo has helped Williams climb to fifth place in the Constructors' Championship, alongside a podium finish from Sainz in Baku.
Alex Albon reveals his regular conversations with Yuki Tsunoda amidst Red Bull's uncertainty
Red Bull promoted Yuki Tsunoda from Racing Bulls earlier this season. However, his performance has been far off from that of Max Verstappen. He has struggled to score points consistently; meanwhile, his teammate has been delivering podiums and multiple race wins.
If his performance does not improve by the end of the season, the team could replace him next year.
Amidst this, Alex Albon recently revealed that he had been in contact with Tsunoda, discussing the difficulties he has faced with the team this year. Albon also mentioned that he faced similar issues, adapting to the car's drivability, and was later replaced.
"The time that I was at Red Bull, I joined six months into my Formula 1 career, and I just realised, in hindsight, I was in a predicament when I joined the team at Red Bull, because I had a car that I wasn’t comfortable with, and I didn’t know, I didn’t have the experience to get myself out of it," Albon said on the Chequred Flag podcast.
He added:
"I struggled with it, but my experience level wasn’t to the point, and my maturity as a human being, to understand how to get myself out of that situation. I see it now, and I understand the same feelings. I speak with Yuki a lot, and try to help him in any way I can."
Yuki Tsunoda did manage to clinch a P6 finish in Baku earlier in September, marking his best result with the team so far. Meanwhile, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz continue to deliver consistent performances with Williams Racing.
