Alex Albon has signed a multi-year extension that will keep him with Williams for the foreseeable future.

The Red Bull-affiliated driver joined Williams this year after 12 months out of racing, having been dropped in favor of Sergio Perez at the end of the 2020 season. Williams was always keen to retain the British-Thai driver and with Pierre Gasly remaining at AlphaTauri and Yuki Tsunoda likely to stay, there is no space at AlphaTauri so a deal that extends beyond 2023 has been reached.

“It’s really exciting to be staying with Williams Racing for 2023 and I look forward to seeing what we can achieve as a team in the remainder of this season and next year,” Albon said. “The team is pushing hard to progress, and I am really motivated to continue this journey and further develop our learnings together.”

The announcement states Albon will “remain part of the driver lineup for the 2023 FIA Formula 1 World Championship and beyond” after the 26-year-old impressed for Williams this season, scoring points in two races and leading the team after replacing George Russell over the winter.

“Alex is a tremendous driver and valued member of Williams Racing, so we’re thrilled to be able to confirm we will be working with him on a long-term basis,” team principal Jost Capito added. “Alex brings a great blend of skill and insightful learnings that will help bring the team greater success in the future.

“He’s a fierce competitor, has proved a popular and loyal team member and we are delighted that he will provide a stable base for us to continue to develop in this new F1 car era.”

The news follows confirmation that Logan Sargeant will drive in FP1 at the United States Grand Prix later this year, with Williams expected to replace Nicholas Latifi at the end of the season but no longer believed to be a possible destination for Oscar Piastri.