The 2022 Formula 1 season is getting closer. Half of the grid has already presented the design of their respective cars with which they will be competing for the drivers' and constructors' titles throughout the 23 races that will be held around the world. Today, February 15, 2022, it was Williams' turn to reveal the car with which they will compete this season, in addition to having a very interesting pair of drivers. We are talking about Nicholas Latifi and the return to the starting grid of Alex Albon. The British-Thai driver managed to find a seat in the highest category of motorsports, thanks to an agreement in which Red Bull and Mercedes arrived. Why these two teams? Recall that Albon was part of the Red Bull academy, while Williams is a team powered by Mercedes. It would be extremely rare for a driver from a rival team to be signed by a team powered that is not powered by the same team. The deal was that Mercedes would give him the opportunity to return to Formula 1 with Williams as long as Albon and Red Bull parted ways, which they did.

Alex Albon is extremely happy to be back on the track in one of the fastest single-seaters in the world. Despite not having had great results in his two years in the category (half a season with Toro Rosso and a season and a half with Red Bull), Albon is optimistic that he will be able to achieve the results that the team expects, in addition to the fact that he already knows his teammate. Nicholas Latifi and Alex Albon were teammates in Formula 2, this being an advantage, as both drivers know how to handle interim team situations.

“It feels really good. It feels, you know, I spent a while away from the race seat, and to get back into it, get back into the thing that I’ve wanted to do my whole life feels amazing.” Alex Albon commented during the launch of the Williams FW44.

“The team’s been super nice. They clearly know what they’re doing and, on my side, it was going to a team where, yes, you can tell there’s trust there straight away – they believe in me – and on my side, I’m trying to bring as much knowledge, as much experience as I can to them.”

WE ARE WILLIAMS 💙 pic.twitter.com/JZAeui8nNI

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) February 15, 2022

“It’s different… but there is a feeling that there’s going to be a bit of rust to get rid of. I think on that resent of new car, new regulation, that goes in my favour; it’s a reset for everyone. My plan is to hit the ground running as hard as I can.” Alex admitted.

“To begin with, it’s really about where we started; it’s just our starting point. I feel like if we’re in the midfield, if we’re in the upper midfield, that’s great. If we’re towards the back half, that’s fine.”

After spending a year out of competition in this category, Alex Albon will restart his duties in Formula 1 with a completely different F1, not only for him, but for all the teams and drivers. Thanks to these new technical regulations that have been implemented from this year, the drivers have to quickly adapt to the very different performance of the cars they are expected to have. It will be a difficult adaptation, but as Albon points out, the team has confidence in him.