Alex Albon signs new Williams deal to race for Grove team in 2027

Alex Albon will remain with the Grove-based Williams Formula 1 team for the 2027 season, extending a partnership that has already made him the team’s record holder for Grand Prix starts.

Alex Albon has committed his immediate Formula 1 future to Williams, confirming that he will continue racing for the Oxfordshire-based team in 2027.

The 30-year-old Thai driver joined Williams in 2022 and has since become one of the central figures in the team’s long-term rebuilding programme.

His new agreement takes the partnership into a sixth season and provides continuity as Williams prepares to mark its 50th anniversary next year.

Williams described the announcement as a sign of continuing belief on both sides, despite a difficult 2026 campaign following the substantial progress made last season.

Albon says Williams’ story is not finished

Albon said the transformation at Williams since his arrival had been difficult to capture in words.

He acknowledged that the 2026 season had been challenging but said one difficult year did not represent the full direction of the team.

Albon said: “Our story is not over yet,” adding that his focus was on doing everything possible to help Williams move back up the grid.

The announcement guarantees his seat for the 2027 season. Williams has not disclosed whether the new agreement extends beyond that year or published further contractual details.

Team Principal James Vowles said Albon had been a leader within the rebuilding project and described the renewed commitment as evidence of the confidence shared by the driver and team.

Vowles called Albon “one of the best drivers on the grid” and said Williams still had unfinished business to pursue.

A record-breaking Williams career

The new deal follows a landmark period in Albon’s time with the team.

At the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, he made his 96th race start for Williams and moved ahead of Nigel Mansell’s long-standing total of 95.

That made Albon the driver with the most Grand Prix starts in Williams history. He marked the occasion with a helmet design paying tribute to Mansell’s championship-winning 1992 colours.

Albon then reached 100 Williams starts at the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest before Formula 1’s summer break.

The record measures starts for the team rather than victories, podiums or world championships. Mansell remains one of Williams’ most successful drivers, having won the 1992 world title and 28 Grands Prix with the team.

Deal follows contrasting seasons for Williams

Albon’s extension comes after two sharply contrasting campaigns for the Grove team.

Williams enjoyed a major improvement in 2025, finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship with 137 points.

Albon finished eighth in the drivers’ standings with 73 points after a season that included several fifth-place finishes. His current teammate Carlos Sainz scored 64 points and secured two Grand Prix podiums during his first year with the team.

The 2026 season has been much more difficult following the introduction of extensively revised Formula 1 technical regulations.

At the summer break, Williams was ninth of the 11 teams with 11 points. Albon had scored five points from two top-10 finishes, including eighth place in Monaco, while Sainz had contributed six.

The team has faced problems including excess car weight and technical issues, making Albon’s renewed commitment particularly significant for Williams’ longer-term plans.

His experience should provide continuity for engineers as the team continues developing its current car and preparing for 2027.

Why the announcement matters in Oxfordshire

Although Williams competes around the world, its Formula 1 operation is rooted in Oxfordshire.

The team’s headquarters is on Station Road in Grove, near Wantage, where its cars are designed, developed and assembled.

Williams said around 1,200 staff were involved at Grove as the team prepared for the 2026 season, working across engineering, aerodynamics, manufacturing, race operations, technology and support roles.

Albon’s decision therefore provides stability not only for the race team but also for the substantial workforce behind it in the Vale of White Horse.

Williams has been investing in its people, facilities, technology and working processes as part of a long-term attempt to return to regular podiums and race victories.

Albon has played a role in that work beyond driving at Grand Prix weekends, providing technical feedback and helping engineers understand the strengths and weaknesses of successive cars.

His presence through the team’s 50th anniversary season will also provide continuity between Williams’ celebrated history and its current rebuilding project.

From Red Bull exit to Williams record holder

Albon made his Formula 1 debut in 2019 with Toro Rosso before being promoted to Red Bull during his first season.

He claimed two podium finishes for Red Bull in 2020 but lost his race seat at the end of that campaign and spent 2021 as the team’s test and reserve driver.

Williams offered him a route back onto the grid in 2022.

Since then, he has rebuilt his reputation through a series of defensive drives, unconventional strategies and points finishes in cars that have not regularly competed near the front.

His performances contributed to Williams rising from the bottom of the constructors’ standings and ultimately finishing fifth in 2025.

The 2027 agreement extends a partnership that has benefited both parties: Williams gave Albon the opportunity to restart his Formula 1 career, while Albon has provided experience and stability during one of the most significant rebuilding periods in the team’s history.

What happens next?

Formula 1 resumes after its summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

Williams’ immediate priority will be improving the performance and reliability of its 2026 car during the second half of the season.

Alongside that work, the Grove factory will continue developing its plans for 2027, when Albon will begin his sixth year in Williams colours.

The announcement confirms one of the team’s race seats for next season. Williams has not used the statement to announce its complete 2027 driver line-up.

Further information about the team and Albon’s 2027 agreement is available through the official Williams announcement.

FAQs

Will Alex Albon drive for Williams in 2027?

Yes. Williams has confirmed that Albon will continue racing for the team during the 2027 Formula 1 season.

How long is Albon’s new contract?

The announcement confirms his Williams seat for 2027. The team has not disclosed whether the agreement runs beyond that season.

How long has Alex Albon driven for Williams?

He joined the team for the 2022 season. The 2027 campaign will be his sixth year racing for Williams.

What Williams record does Albon hold?

He holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts by a Williams driver. His 96th start in Barcelona moved him ahead of Nigel Mansell’s previous total of 95.

When did Albon make his 100th start for Williams?

He reached 100 Williams starts at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest.

How did Albon perform in 2025?

He finished eighth in the drivers’ championship with 73 points, helping Williams take fifth in the constructors’ standings.

How is Williams performing in 2026?

At the summer break, Williams was ninth in the constructors’ championship with 11 points. Albon had scored five of those points.

Where is the Williams Formula 1 team based?

Williams is based on Station Road in Grove, near Wantage in Oxfordshire.

Why is 2027 important for Williams?

The team will mark its 50th anniversary in 2027, while continuing its long-term programme aimed at returning to the front of the Formula 1 grid.