Red Bull reserve driver Albon will return to Formula 1 next year after signing for Williams after being eliminated from the grid at the end of the 2020 season.
Albon will partner with Nicholas Latifi next year, replacing the Mercedes-bound Russell who is a close friend of the Anglo-Thai driver.
Albon and Russell raced against each other for much of their careers, going back to karting and both graduating from F2 in late 2018.
Albon said Russell was “very supportive” in getting him a seat at Williams, but revealed that the team’s bosses told him to consider their friendship when evaluating Russell’s opinion.
PLUS: Why Albon is the right choice for Williams
“Of course George is a close friend of mine,” said Albon, who will be competing in the DTM this year in an AF Corse Ferrari 488 GT3.
“I would almost say [he was] too supportive as I remember the board people saying we can’t really accept George’s opinion for being so supportive of you so it was very fun.
“I said I owe him a couple of beers. Hopefully we’ll get a dinner and celebrate our moves together. “
Russell expressed confidence that Albon would be successful with Williams after gaining experience with AlphaTauri and Red Bull in 2019 and 2020.
“I’m really excited to see Alex back in Formula One. I really think he deserves a chance on this grid,” said Russell.
Alex Albon, AF Corse
Photo: Gruppe C GmbH
“I really think he’s one of the best drivers, even though he’s had a really tough time at Red Bull.
“Williams is absolutely the right place for him to develop. I’ve been there for the last three years, I know the team, I know how Jost does [Capito] works too, and of course I know Alex very well.
“So I’m sure they’ll be a winning combination.”
Albon also piqued Alfa Romeo’s interest for 2022, but chose Williams because he believed the investment among its new owners and the current momentum made it the right place.
Alpine junior and Formula 2 race winner Guanyu Zhou is now the expected favorite who will join Valtteri Bottas in the team next season.
“I would say they are both great teams,” Albon said of Alfa Romeo and Williams.
PLUS: Who should Alfa Romeo sign for the 2022 F1 season?
“When I look at Williams, I’d say the first thing I do is look like they’re on the rise.
“They obviously made the investments, but I also had the opportunity to visit the team and they all seemed very positive and optimistic.
“They were very interested in talking to me, getting involved and making a difference. It seemed like a good choice to get back online. “
The post Albon owes Russell a couple of beers for Williams seat assistance first appeared on monter-une-startup.
