The future of Ferrari
In recent times, there has been much talk about the expiration of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz’s current contracts with Scuderia Ferrari. Both drivers have a deal available until the end of the 2024 Formula 1 championship, and a potential renewal has not yet been discussed for either of them. This has been enough to spread rumors of possible interest from Mercedes in the Monegasque driver and from Audi in the case of the Spanish driver, although both drivers of the Prancing Horse have denied such speculation.
In recent days, President John Elkann has explained how Ferrari’s priority in recent weeks has been to develop the underperforming SF-23 as quickly as possible, and there was no rush to renew their drivers. Team Principal Frederic Vasseur has emphasized his intention to keep the Charles Leclerc – Carlos Sainz duo and assured that negotiations will begin during the Formula 1 summer break.
Carlos Sainz leaving, Alex Albon to replace him?
While there seem to be few doubts about Charles Leclerc’s future in Maranello, the same cannot be said for Carlos Sainz, who may be considering other options for 2025, perhaps seeking a team where he can clearly be the lead driver.
In today’s edition of Corriere dello Sport, they discuss the first name emerging as a possible replacement for the Spaniard: “However, the irreconcilability between Carlitos’ rightful ambition to become world champion and Ferrari’s strong intention to become Charles Leclerc-centric is increasingly coming to the surface. Unverified rumors are now circulating that Fred Vasseur has hooked Alex Albon to have him in red from 2025, to score points and watch Charles’ back. This is a plausible hypothesis considering the various circumstances, and both Carlos Sainz’s contract with Maranello and Alex Albon’s contract with Williams expire at the end of 2024.” – Corriere dello Sport pointed out.
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Who is Alex Albon?
Of Thai nationality but born in London, Great Britain, Alexander Albon turned 27 on March 23rd. His record of achievements does not include any titles in the lower categories, despite his participation in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (3rd), European F3, GP3 Series (2nd), and Formula 2 (3rd). It is in GP3 where the roots of his excellent relationship with Charles Leclerc lie, as they were teammates at ART Grand Prix in 2016 during the championship won by the Monegasque with 202 points, followed by Alex Albon with 177.
His call-up to Formula 1 came as a surprise in 2019 from Toro Rosso, just as Albon was preparing to make his debut with Nissan in Formula E. The Thai driver’s rise has been rapid: after only 12 races, he found himself at Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, benefiting from Pierre Gasly’s demotion. With so little experience under his belt, the comparison with the Dutchman was unequal, resulting in an unsatisfactory 7th place finish in the 2020 season, which cost him his seat at Red Bull and a championship on the sidelines spent in the DTM. He returned to the sport in 2022 with Williams, a team where he is showcasing his talent and reviving his career, both in qualifying and in the race, despite the car’s lack of competitiveness.
He has achieved two podium finishes, with a fourth place as his best qualifying result and a third place as his best race result.
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