Williams explains decision to sign Albon over de Vries in F1 for 2022
Williams Formula 1 boss Jost Capito says Alexander Albon's added youth and experience won him the race for the 2022 seat ahead of Formula E world champion Nyck de Vries.


Williams announced on Wednesday that Red Bull reserve driver Albon would replace the Mercedes-bound George Russell next year, partnering Nicholas Latifi.
De Vries was known to be in contention for the Williams seat, aided in part by his status as a works driver in Formula E with Mercedes, who supplies Williams with its F1 power units.
But the decision to sign Albon means the only realistic seat de Vries could now get for next year in F1 lies at Alfa Romeo.
Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff said last week that Albon would have to be released from his Red Bull contract if he were to race for Williams due to its customer status. Red Bull revealed on Wednesday that Albon had been released, but that a relationship remained with "future options".
Speaking after the announcement, Capito felt that Wolff was understanding of Williams' driver needs for next year, and explained that while de Vries was deserving of a seat, Albon's greater F1 experience was a key factor.
"I think I have got a long-lasting relationship with Toto," Capito said.
"We have got a huge respect of each other and I think he understands our needs as well.
"Of course Nyck is his driver in Formula E. I think he is happy if he is in Formula E for another season, I think he [feels] not too bad about this.
"But on the other hand, I think Nyck would deserve a seat in Formula 1, there is no doubt.
"Just for us, when we have to balance between youth and experience, then Alex has an advantage over Nyck.
"But it doesn't mean that Nyck would have been worse in the seat next year. It doesn't mean that at all.
"I think Toto, at the end, he understands and we understand that we are not a B-team and we are not a satellite team, and that we have to take the decisions that are right for us.
"Toto fully respects that. And he also is fully aware of the capability that Alex has, and is also of the opinion that Alex deserves a seat in Formula 1, so he is supportive."

Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
PLUS: Why Albon is the right pick for Williams
Amid the continued speculation about Russell's move to Mercedes this year, Capito had always stressed that Williams would take its time and be in no rush to make a decision on its 2022 line-up.
Asked by Autosport about the timing of the Albon announcement - just one day after Russell's exit had been confirmed - Capito felt it was important to get stability ahead of the flyaway leg of the season.
"We said we'd take time until we really knew what we wanted to do," Capito said.
"When we came to the conclusion this is the right thing to do, then it doesn't make sense to drag on. It's much better for everybody involved if that is clear, especially before we go to the overseas races.
Read Also:
"With the overseas races, you are at home even less and it's even more difficult to communicate, so we are quite happy that we could get this sorted before we start the overseas season.
"It's simply much more practical and easier to communicate."
Related video

F1 eyes mandatory Friday running for young drivers
Red Bull: Mercedes set to have performance advantage at next two F1 races

Latest news
De Vries cleared of wrongdoing in dispute over €250K loan
Nyck de Vries has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an Amsterdam court over a claim launched against him by real estate magnate Jeroen Schothorst relating to a €250,000 loan.
Horner admits Red Bull’s real RB19 will be ‘somewhat different’
Red Bull boss Christian Horner says the real RB19 that will appear in Formula 1 testing in Bahrain later this month will be ‘somewhat different'.
Horner hints at closer links between Mercedes and Williams F1 teams
Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner has hinted that there could be a closer relationship between the Mercedes and Williams Formula 1 teams in the wake of James Vowles’s move.
Ford remains committed to WRC amid F1 return
Ford has stated that it remains committed to its programme in the World Rally Championship following confirmation of its return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier from 2026.
Assessing Hamilton's remarkable decade as a Mercedes F1 driver
Many doubted Lewis Hamilton’s move from McLaren to Mercedes for the 2013 Formula 1 season. But the journey he’s been on since has taken the Briton to new heights - and to a further six world championship titles
Why new look Haas is a litmus test for Formula 1’s new era
OPINION: With teams outside the top three having struggled in Formula 1 in recent seasons, the rules changes introduced in 2022 should have more of an impact this season. How well Haas does, as the poster child for the kind of team that F1 wanted to be able to challenge at the front, is crucial
The Mercedes F1 pressure changes under 10 years of Toto Wolff
OPINION: Although the central building blocks for Mercedes’ recent, long-lasting Formula 1 success were installed before he joined the team, Toto Wolff has been instrumental in ensuring it maximised its finally-realised potential after years of underachievement. The 10-year anniversary of Wolff joining Mercedes marks the perfect time to assess his work
The all-French F1 partnership that Ocon and Gasly hope to emulate
Alpine’s signing of Pierre Gasly alongside Esteban Ocon revives memories of a famous all-French line-up, albeit in the red of Ferrari, for BEN EDWARDS. Can the former AlphaTauri man's arrival help the French team on its path back to winning ways in a tribute act to the Prancing Horse's title-winning 1983?
How do the best races of F1 2022 stack up to 2021?
OPINION: A system to score all the grands prix from the past two seasons produces some interesting results and sets a standard that 2023 should surely exceed
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing
The potential-laden F1 car that Ferrari neglected
The late Mauro Forghieri played a key role in Ferrari’s mid-1960s turnaround, says STUART CODLING, and his pretty, intricate 1512 was among the most evocative cars of the 1.5-litre era. But a victim of priorities as Formula 1 was deemed less lucrative than success in sportscars, its true potential was never seen in period
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.