Alex Albon has been offered a three-year contract by Red Bull to return to the reigning champions in 2025, according to former Williams Team Manager Peter Windsor.
The Anglo-Thai driver was dropped at the conclusion of his sophomore campaign in 2020 by Red Bull after languishing a substantial margin behind Max Verstappen.
But having returned to the grid with Williams two years ago, Albon has since rebuilt his reputation and matured into a valuable team leader for the rebuilding Grove-based squad.
Albon scored all but one of the side’s 28 points last season as Williams rose to seventh in the Constructors’ Championship, while also out-qualifying rookie team-mate Logan Sargeant in each of the 22 rounds.
The ex-Red Bull racer is one of 14 drivers on the current grid who will be out of contract at the end of 2024 and his recent exploits have put him in the frame for a move up the order.
While Red Bull has Verstappen tied down through 2028, Sergio Perez has entered the final year of his deal and is under pressure after enduring a torrid season last term.
Although Red Bull boss Christian Horner has declared the seat as Perez’s to lose, Windsor reports that Albon has been presented the opportunity to replace the Mexican driver.
“As I understand it, Albon has been offered a three-year contract to start in 2025. So I think you’re going to see him alongside Max Verstappen in the Red Bull,” he said. “I can’t imagine he’s going to say no to that; from what I understand, that’s 90 per cent.”
Windsor’s comments come after F1.com’s Lawrence Barretto tipped Albon to be the “biggest key” in the F1 driver market for the 2025 season along with Carlos Sainz.
Williams is determined to retain its star driver’s services beyond the end of this year, but Albon has confessed that his long-term goal in F1 is fixated on wanting to win races.
Barretto notes that Albon’s camp is “believed to have been involved in talks with at least half of the grid about a move in the future, with two teams – Alpine and Haas – having been keen on his services for 2023.
“Ferrari are understood to be one of the interested parties, while my sources say Red Bull engineers rate him highly,” he continued.
“It’s quite the turnaround for the Thai driver, who had to fight to get back on the grid after being dropped by Red Bull.”
However, a potential opening at Ferrari has been closed after the bombshell news this week that Lewis Hamilton will depart Mercedes to join the Italian marque in 2025.
The seven-time World Champion will replace current incumbent Sainz and partner Charles Leclerc, who penned a long-term contract extension to remain with the Scuderia.
Therefore, Mercedes will have a seat available alongside George Russell in 2025 and Albon has been touted as a candidate to fill the coveted spot at the German outfit.
When he was asked about the rumours linking him with a potential move away from Williams last year, Albon told ESPN: “There’s one thing that is no secret and that’s 2026 is a big year as manufacturers are coming on board, teams are trying to get on board, there’s a huge push now.
“If you look at everyone’s driver contract, they’re all ending in the years leading to that. That’s just how it is right now. If you want to have a good driver, those talks start next season.
“The only thing that’s nice about rumours is it’s clearly showing things are going well. They’re nice rumours as well.
“I see some bad ones. It’s always my friends sending me this absolute garbage, like, ‘is this true!?’”
