Amidst all the fanfare around Sergio Perez‘s signing with Red Bull, the F1 community forgot the plight of Alex Albon. One can’t help but feel sorry for the Thai driver, the latest victim of Red Bull’s brutal axing policy.
Albon recently spoke for the first time since the announcement went public.
He is going from driving for arguably the second most competitive team on the grid, to being without a drive for 2021. Hence, it is leaving him with a lot of pain. Taking to Instagram, he thanked his regional supporters for their unwavering support.
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“I can’t lie guys, it hurts. I gave it everything out there, but it wasn’t quite enough. I want to say a huge thank you to all of you that supported me throughout this year, especially my Thai fans. With all the different opinions out there, I always had you guys to push me through it,” Albon expressed.
Alex Albon vows to come back stronger in 2022
However, this is not the end of the road for him. He is only 24 years old, with his entire racing career still ahead of him. Though this season took a hit on his reputation, he is still a competitive driver.
In a message that would make his fans happy, Albon implied that he wants to swim rather than sink.
“I’m not giving up, I’ve poured my life into this and I won’t let it stop here. I have more to give and my focus is getting back for 2022 and to wave the Thai flag again!” Albon said further.
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So what are his options for 2022?
Alex Albon’s association with Red Bull is not done and dusted. In fact, he will still be around as their reserve and test driver for 2021, and take part in various testing programs. Also, he can serve as an injury or any other contingency replacement if the need arises.
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But these are just the primary benefits. He can make his way back to AplhaTauri like Daniil Kvyat and Pierre Gasly before him. They also struggled next to Max Verstappen but flourished in the more pressure-free environment of the sister team.
And if that doesn’t work out, he can break away from his contract with Red Bull and look for other teams. Low-midfield runners like Haas, Alfa Romeo, and Williams could be other options for Albon.