Red Bull have once again been linked with one of their former drivers, Alex Albon, this week. And the team have now addressed the speculation in an intriguing manner.
An Italian outlet broke the news that Red Bull had reopened talks with Albon’s camp. While a move was more likely for 2027 due to the length of his contract, an earlier switch wasn’t ruled out.
It’s believed that Red Bull shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya is personally pushing for Albon. He’s determined to bring his fellow Thai back to Milton Keynes.
Albon first drove for the team between the summer of 2019 and the end of 2020, having replaced Pierre Gasly mid-season. Isack Hadjar is expected to partner Max Verstappen next year but that move hasn’t been confirmed.
Red Bull sources refused to rule out moving for Alex Albon
German publication F1-Insider ‘inquired about the truth’ of the rumours. They described the response from ‘Red Bull sources’ as ‘rather evasive’.
“A decision on who will drive alongside Max Verstappen at Red Bull Racing in 2026 hasn’t been made, nor has a decision on who will get the two cockpits at Racing Bulls,” they said.
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Red Bull were given an opportunity to deny their interest in Albon, and they didn’t take it. This suggests they’re still keeping all options on the table.
If Albon joins, then Hadjar would remain at Racing Bulls for a second season, and likely put him under pressure at the outset. With Arvid Lindblad set to break into F1, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson would both be out.
Where does Alex Albon stand on going back to Red Bull?
It’s no surprise that some at Red Bull are keen to give Albon a second chance. While Carlos Sainz ended Williams’ podium drought, Albon has ruled the head-to-head against the multiple race-winner.
He leads 19-13 in the competitive sessions where both have been classified and, with 70 points on the board already, he’s a long way clear of the rest of F1’s midfield drivers.
| Position | Drivers’ Championship | Points |
| 1 |
Oscar Piastri |
324 |
| 2 |
Lando Norris |
299 |
| 3 |
Max Verstappen |
255 |
| 4 |
George Russell |
212 |
| 5 |
Charles Leclerc |
165 |
| 6 |
Lewis Hamilton |
121 |
| 7 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
78 |
| 8 |
Alexander Albon |
70 |
| 9 |
Isack Hadjar |
39 |
| 10 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
37 |
Red Bull may be interested in Albon, but is Albon interested in Red Bull? Williams want to win races under the new rules, and based on their progress so far under James Vowles and their Mercedes engine, that’s a legitimate objective.
But the feeling is that Albon will only leave Williams for a Red Bull seat. That would be a risk given that Laurent Mekies’ team are about to debut their first-ever in-house engine, but the driver is clearly tempted to complete his F1 redemption arc by making a comeback.