Thailand’s Albon looking to ‘fight at the front’
London, UK - Thailand’s Alex Albon said Tuesday he is ready to “fight at the front in 2020” for top Formula One team Red Bull after it rewarded him for a series of impressive performances by naming him on a permanent basis as its second driver.
The 23 year old - born in England to an English father and Thai mother - began the season with its junior sister team Toro Rosso but seized his chance when Red Bull offered him the senior drive in the second-half of the campaign by finishing in the top six in all seven races accruing 68 points.
Albon - who will play second fiddle to the audacious Max Verstappen - sits in sixth spot overall with 84 points ahead of this weekend’s Brazilian Grand Prix.
“This year has been an incredible year for me and getting the call up to Red Bull mid-season was already a big step,” he said in a statement on the team website.
“So now I will use the learnings from this season and use the experience to improve and fight at the front in 2020.”
Albon, who replaced Frenchman Pierre Gasly as second driver to Verstappen for the second part of the campaign leaving the former “stunned”, added he was grateful Red Bull had placed its faith in him.
Potential
“I am really excited to be partnering Max again for next year and I know how fortunate I am to be given this opportunity,” said Albon, whose best finish so far for Red Bull was fourth in the Japanese Grand Prix.
“I’m hugely thankful that Red Bull has put its trust in me and believed in my results since I joined the Team and for it to keep me in the car next year is a big deal.”
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s long-standing racing principal, said he looked forward to developing Albon’s potential.