Red Bull open door to Albon return? Impressed by “progress & growth”

Albon was dropped by Red Bull at the end of 2021 in favour of Sergio Perez, leaving the Thai driver on the sidelines. 

Albon returned to F1 with Williams as George Russell’s replacement in 2022.

He enjoyed a strong year, finishing in the points on a number of occasions while dominating Nicholas Latifi in similar fashion to Russell.

Monaghan - Red Bull’s chief engineer - noted Albon’s “progress and growth” as a driver.

"Thinking back to Alex's time with us, he came across a very conscientious, polite, gifted driver," he said. "He had a pretty good idea of what he wanted from the car straight off. He knew when it wasn't to his liking and could tell you what was to his dislike.

"We didn't always manage to give him a car that was adequate for his wants. Obviously, he had a pretty rapid team-mate, which puts a little bit more pressure on him and he handled that, I thought, exceptionally well for a young driver.

"In 2021, you saw a driver who was frustrated, yet able to deal with this situation. You saw someone who was learning and worked with us and, rather than being despondent for that year, he used that year and now he's come back with [Williams] and it's nice to see him nearer the front of the grid.

"It's nice to see the progress, and it's nice to see them scoring points, so full credit to Alex for enduring a reasonably tough time, learning, not being despondent and pushing himself on to achieve what his talents deserve. So many congratulations to him, and long may his growth in the sport continue."

Could Albon return to Red Bull?

It’s unlikely given how well the Max Verstappen-Sergio Perez works in terms of a hierarchy.

However, Perez’s pace deficit to Verstappen isn’t too dissimilar to Albon’s.

If Albon continues to impress with Williams, then perhaps he’d be a solid option given that he’d be a lot more experienced than he was in 2021.