Is Williams switching to Red Bull engines after Albon deal?
Sep.9 - Alex Albon has retained the backing of Red Bull, despite returning to Formula 1 with Mercedes-powered Williams in 2022.
At Zandvoort, Toto Wolff warned that he may block the British-born Thai driver's Williams deal if title rival Red Bull does not sever ties with Albon.
So when asked if confirmation of Albon's new contract means the 25-year-old is no longer associated with Red Bull, Williams boss Jost Capito answered: "I think you should direct that question to Red Bull.
"All I can say that he will be a Williams driver in 2022 - period."
However, when the announcement was made, Albon was wearing a white t-shirt with AlphaTauri branding on the front.
"I repeat: Alex will be a Williams driver in 2022, and we will decide what he does and what he does not," Capito insisted.
Capito said he did not require the approval of Williams' engine supplier - Mercedes' Wolff - to do the Albon deal, even if Wolff was championing the availability of works Mercedes Formula E champion Nyck de Vries.
"I have a long-standing relationship with Toto, and I think he understands quite well what we need," said Capito.
"I have no doubt that Nyck deserves a place in Formula 1, but when we look at the balance of youth and experience, Alex has the advantage.
"Toto also understands that our team is not a Mercedes satellite, so he respects that it is our right to make decisions that are correct from our point of view."
Fascinatingly, Capito is not even ruling out the appearance of Red Bull logos on next year's Williams - amid rumours of a later switch for the Grove based team to Red Bull power.
"I'm not saying that Red Bull logos will appear on our car or not, but I have worked with people from that company for a long time, starting in the late 90s when I was at Sauber," he said.
"But I repeat: that doesn't mean there will be logos on our car or not on our car. Let's see."
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Well, I brought this up yesterday, wondering how a Red Bull driver could drive a Mercedes powered car & in typical racing team style, there is no straightforward reply in addressing the situation.
It appears so, the last line of below is the important bit.............So is the to do with "Red Bull " sponsorship money maybe
Wolff was opposed to a Red Bull-affiliated driver joining a team with Mercedes engines, which it has now been confirmed Albon is doing – but only after being freed from his contract.
With Williams needing a replacement for George Russell, who is switching to Mercedes, reports emerged recently that Albon was top of their shopping list.
But Wolff was clearly concerned Albon might learn too much for his liking about the Mercedes power unit, especially with Red Bull launching their own engine shop next year following Honda’s withdrawal from F1.
The Mercedes team principal said during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend that while Albon “deserves a seat in Formula 1”, he was only “happy to work with him as long as they let him free from his Red Bull contract”.
It has now emerged this will be the case, although Red Bull have retained an option on Albon for the future.
"The Mercedes team principal said during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend that while Albon “deserves a seat in Formula 1”, he was only “happy to work with him as long as they let him free from his Red Bull contract”.
Perhaps we've bolluxed the translation. The totster doesn't say terminated or severed, simply "set him free". And he is not 'working with him', so perhaps the context of the question is wrong.
It's gotten so that you cannot rely on journos' reports. Politics, social issues, motor racing, everything.....you have to hear it firsthand. Where is Walter Cronkite when we need him?
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