The journey to reach Formula 1 is incredibly challenging for anyone, but the work doesn’t stop once a driver puts pen to paper on their first contract.
Out of the 20 drivers on the F1 grid in 2025, six are beginning their first full seasons in the sport, including Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes and Liam Lawson at Red Bull.
For this group, the relief when they had their futures decided last year would have been palpable, but they will all learn very quickly that the pressure is only going to ramp up over the coming weeks and months.
Jack Doohan is already under serious pressure at Alpine with Franco Colapinto waiting in the wings and only a short-term contract to his name.
Colapinto impressed in nine Grand Prix for Williams last year but when a race seat wasn’t available in James Vowles’ team, Flavio Briatore didn’t hesitate to bring the young Argentine – and his impressive array of sponsors – over to Alpine.
The challenge for drivers once they’ve established themselves on the grid is to at worst retain the seats, or ideally, convince the strongest teams that they should be driving their cars.
In a recent live stream on his YouTube channel, Peter Windsor admitted he was concerned that one driver with over Grand Prix starts hasn’t improved over the past four seasons.
Peter Windsor doesn’t think Williams star Alex Albon has improved in the past four years
Windsor was asked by one viewer during his livestream whether he rates Alex Albon and said: “Yeah, I’ve always rated Alex.
“I remember I did that video several years ago now, it was based on some footage that Red Bull put out of him testing at Silverstone.
“I think I entitled it something like, this is why Alex Albon is seriously quick and it was a head-on shot of him going into Copse and it was just a beautiful transition from straight line steering input, quite late turn in, nothing short corner about it, but just beautifully done and that’s what Alex Albon’s greatest thing is.
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“He’s got a lovely sensitive touch, footwork and handwork, he’s really good.
“I’m not convinced that he’s progressed from that over the last three to four years, I think that’s what he still is and because he relies inevitably when he’s really under pressure on late braking and getting the power on soon, relatively wide entry, he’s prone to mistakes and that’ll always be the case.”
Alex Albon faces his toughest challenge yet at Williams alongside Carlos Sainz
Albon has not had the easiest Formula 1 career after being rushed into the Red Bull team alongside Max Verstappen just 12 races into his first season.
By the end of his second full F1 campaign, he found himself without a seat after being replaced by Sergio Perez and with no option to re-join AlphaTauri available to him.
The Thai driver took a year out in 2021 before being handed a lifeline by a struggling Williams team, and while he easily outpaced Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant, competing against both drivers wouldn’t have helped him hone his skills.
READ MORE: All to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes ties
Colapinto briefly put Albon under pressure, although it became clear that he was pushing to his limits to impress and crashes in Sao Paulo and Las Vegas ended his slender hopes of earning a 2025 seat at Red Bull.
Williams have signed Carlos Sainz to partner Albon in 2025 and the Spaniard will be his toughest teammate since his stint alongside Verstappen.
Albon and Sainz have already picked things up from each other but it won’t be until they’re both on track together that fans will be able to decide whether they’re on the same level or if one has an advantage.
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