Albon, Williams and the Mercedes maneuvers | FormulaPassion.it

The pilots market of Formula 1 is reaching its hottest stage. The announcement of Kimi Raikkonen’s retirement at the end of the season should have represented the first pawn in a domino destined to finally define the starting grid for the 2022 season. At the center of attention – obviously – the second Mercedes seat but also the lines- up of Williams And Alfa Romeo. Contested between the two teams, and therefore apparently destined for a return to the role of starting driver, is the Thai Alex Albon. The current Red Bull third driver is in fact on the favorites list of both the Grove and Hinwil teams.

Its position, however, is particular, because it fits into the tense rivalry that exploded this year in all its bitterness between Mercedes And Red Bull. According to the team principal of the Milton Keynes stable, Christian Horner, the Stuttgart house would like to prevent Albon from joining Williams, a team supplied by Mercedes itself at the power unit level. “We are working very hard to get him a seat and I really hope Mercedes doesn’t block his opportunity at Williams due to his ties to Red Bull. It would be a big shame if a driver had to pay the price for this. But let’s hope that doesn’t come into play – stated Horner a Sky Sports F1 – Alpha [Romeo] and Williams are the two teams that are showing a lot of interest and I think his preference would be Williams “.

Called into question, Toto Wolff, Milton Keynes’s colleague denied. “I think at the moment everything revolves around Alex Albon who, as Christian says, deserves a seat – commented the Austrian manager – he is a really good guy and is probably the main protagonist of this game of chairs “ Wolff joked. Mercedes’ goal, however, is to be able to place the new Formula E world champion in the Circus, too. Nyck De Vries, ‘protected’ of the house of the Star. “I would never block someone like Alex – concluded Wolff – personally I was sad to see him go [nel 2020]. If he has a chance to get back in a Formula 1 car, I think that’s the right thing to do. But likewise, maybe Nyck has it too. So we will have to look at the spaces in Alfa and Williams and try to find a solution“.

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