Alex Albon is ready for the “challenge” of going up against Carlos Sainz at Williams with the Spaniard scheduled to arrive at the start of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign.
Sainz was announced as Albon’s future team-mate the day after the Belgian Grand Prix in July, inking a multi-year deal with the Grove-based squad.
A three-time GP winner, Sainz was highly sought after by a number of teams following the news he would be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025.
Albon, who has had the measure of inferior team-mates during his spell at Williams, is looking forward to measure himself up against one of the grid’s top talents.
“Carlos is very highly regarded,” Albon told media in the build-up to the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.
“I welcome it, I feel like it’s great to have that competition and I enjoy that.
“For me I feel like it’s a great thing to have and we will be able to learn from each other.
“I always have self-confidence so I rate myself.
“It will be a great challenge. I think we will all push each other hard and especially with the experience it will be really interesting to hear what he can bring to the team.
“Not just in terms of feedback about the car but even driving styles and that kind of thing.”
Williams, a team with just 4 points to its name after 15 rounds of the season, sits ninth in the Constructors’ standings and as such, Sainz’s signing represents a massive vote in confidence.
Several suitors coveted Sainz’s signature and Williams fended off the likes of Alpine and Audi to attain his services.
It grants the team one of its strongest driver lineups in almost a decade, with the interim years from the likes of the Felipe Massa/Valtteri Bottas partnership including a mix of pay drivers and inexperienced youngsters.
In 2025, Williams will boast an experienced line-up and Albon is keen to hear feedback from Sainz as he transitions from Ferrari.
“To see where, obviously being at a top team, being at Ferrari, similar to where I was at with Red Bull when I came across, you kind of have a lot of things that you want to try and change,” Albon said.
“I’ve spent three years now driving Williams and you kind of get quite used to driving that.
“It’s nice to have that fresh look on things and especially for it to be at a top team.”
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