Key Information
- Name: Alexander Albon Ansusinha
- Born: London, United Kingdom
- Nationality: British, Thai
- Birth date: March 23, 1996
- Height: 186 cm
- Known for: Formula One Driver
- Instagram: @alex_albon
Formula One (F1) has extended its influence far beyond the racetrack, recently crossing into film and music with the upcoming 2025 F1 film and F1: The Album, featuring global stars such as Rosé, Doja Cat, and Ed Sheeran. These cultural crossovers are helping expand the legacy and appeal of motorsport to new audiences worldwide.
Among the talents behind the wheel, one driver has become the pride of Thai motorsport fans. British-Thai Formula One driver Alexander Albon Ansusinha is the first in 70 years to race under the Thai flag—and the first ever to take it to the F1 podium.
Family Matters
Born and raised in England—his father’s homeland—Alex Albon’s Thai roots come from his mother’s side. Inspired by seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher, he became an F1 fan at just three years old. One of his first words? “Ferrari.”
Albon’s path to a professional F1 career began at age seven on a local go-kart track. His father, a former racing driver, bought him his first kart and served as his first coach. What began as a childhood obsession became a necessity after a difficult period in 2008, when his mother was convicted of fraud.
Drive to Survive
“It was a need to perform… almost a survival feeling. This is the only thing I have,” Albon reflected, recalling the pressure to succeed after losing maternal support during his teenage years.
Filling that emotional void, he left school and friends behind to devote himself fully to racing. He went on to achieve major wins in the FIA Karting European Championship and World Championship, competing against future F1 stars like Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.
In 2012, after building a strong karting résumé, Albon made a significant leap into open-wheel racing by joining the Red Bull Junior Team. However, after struggling with the transition, he was dropped after just one season.
Road to F1
Although internal pressure can sometimes be motivating, for Albon it became overwhelming. “I started to relax a little bit… I think a lot of it is just time and being surrounded by good people,” he shared, describing the mindset shift that helped him recover.
Despite setbacks, Albon steadily climbed the motorsport ladder. He raced in Formula Three in 2015, moved up to the FIA Formula 3 European Championship, and then progressed to Formula Two in 2017. In 2018, he finished third in the Formula 2 Championship, cementing his place as a top F1 prospect.
In 2019, Albon fulfilled his dream of becoming an F1 driver, debuting with Toro Rosso, part of the Red Bull Racing family. “I was very excited because I’ve always been motorsport mad, ever since I was little. The first thing I did was call my mum,” he told the Bangkok Post. Shortly after, he was promoted to Red Bull Racing to partner Max Verstappen, replacing Pierre Gasly.
Racing Under the Thai Flag
Albon chose to race under the Thai flag to honour his maternal heritage and support Thai sponsors. “It's definitely a big deal for me. It's been a long time since there's been a Thai in F1. I'm just hoping to make everyone proud,” he said.
And he did. At the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix, Albon finished third behind Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas—marking a historic podium finish for Thailand and Southeast Asia. He followed it up with another third-place result at the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix.
Although Albon consistently scored points, his rapid promotion, intense media scrutiny, and the complexities of modern F1 engineering left him underprepared. “I was fast-tracked so quickly into F1, I never created a structure,” he admitted. In 2021, he was replaced by Sergio Pérez and moved into a test and reserve driver role.
Returning to F1
That same year, Albon took a ‘gap year’ from racing to rebuild his mental game and refine his skills. “You’re in the washing machine, race after race,” he explained. “To actually get a moment to self-reflect—it was the best thing.”
In 2022, he returned to the grid with Williams Racing, replacing George Russell, who had moved to Mercedes. Albon brought stability and consistent performance to the team. As of the 2025 F1 World Championship season, he races alongside Carlos Sainz Jr., currently ranking eighth following the Miami Grand Prix.
Racing Toward the Future
In 2025, Albon received a warm welcome from fans at the “Alex Albon Bangkok Fan Meet”, presented by Siam Paragon. During his visit, he met with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and voiced his support for Thailand hosting a future Formula One Grand Prix.
Speaking to The Standard, he shared: “I really hope the race goes ahead. When I was growing up, the only place I could develop my racing skills was in Europe. I want that to change so people in Thailand can have the same opportunities without needing to relocate. Every young person should have a dream—and chase it every day until they achieve it.”
Although Alex Albon lives life in the fast lane, the Thai F1 driver has found strength in slowing down. Racing under the Thai flag, he continues to inspire and remains a symbol of pride for Thai fans—expanding the reach and meaning of motorsport far beyond the track.