Alex Albon believes Carlos Sainz joining Williams will help him better showcase his talent levels by removing the pressure of being the team’s experienced driver and becoming a benchmark himself.
Sainz decided to join Williams in 2025 after Ferrari signed Lewis Hamilton to replace him, with the Spaniard moving on the back of four wins for the Scuderia. Albon has been at Williams since 2022, working alongside Nicholas Latifi in his first season and Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto later, and the 28-year-old believes he will be the reference point Sainz needs to cement his reputation.
“I really like it,” Albon told RACER. “It’s a really cool challenge.” “I think Carlos has a lot of pedigree. I think he had a fantastic season against Charles as well. [Leclerc]Who we know is a very strong driver.
“For me, it’s nice to have someone I can compare myself to directly. It always feels like a bit of a burden in some way because no one seems to know where I am. “I am confident that I am pretty good.”
Albon admits his experience in the Red Bull set-up will likely be usurped by Sainz’s recent career at Ferrari and believes it will help propel Williams forward in 2025 and 2026.
“I’m delighted Carlos is there. What he brings to Williams will be really important for us,” he said. “The experience he has, the knowledge that he is part of a top team like Ferrari that performs well every week.
“When I joined Williams from Red Bull I had a lot to give and a lot to give to help the team improve. However, I have now been on the team for three years and I feel that having a fresh mindset will help me as I push and lead the team in the direction I think it needs to go.
“I think I’ll be listening as a teammate as well. I just want to hear what he has to say about the car, as well as what direction he believes we should take.”
