The Thai driver has a deal with Williams through to the end of next year and has been clear that he believes the Grove-based squad has a bright future under new team principal James Vowles.
However, Albon’s recent impressive form has seen him emerge as an obvious target for a number of top teams, including Red Bull and Ferrari, who have vacancies for 2025.
Albon is well aware that interest around him is growing and has said that is why he wants to bide his team into next season to see what his potential options open up for him.
Asked by Autosport if he was happy to hold fire on making a decision about staying at Williams beyond 2024, Albon said: “I think I have the confidence in myself to keep myself open.”
Albon has enjoyed his return to F1 with Williams, and would like nothing more than seeing the team make the progress it needs to get back to the front of the grid.
However, he is also mindful that time is ticking on his career and he cannot wait forever if he wants to have the chance to win races.
“There's a balance really,” he said about where he saw his future. “Being totally honest, I want to see this team and I want to be part of a team that brings this team forward.
“I think the rate of progress that we're having here at Williams and seeing what's happening behind the scenes is great. I'm fully committed to the team until my contract pretty much ends.
“But I am also 27. Although I'm not young, I'm also not old. And I do feel like I am in a good part of my career. If you take another year I'm 28, then 29 going onto 30 soon.
“I want to give myself the chance to be able to fight for wins and fight for podiums. And what it comes down to is, at that time and in that time, can we bring this team to be that team?”
Williams has been making strides in improving its 2023 F1 car, and has made particular gains in adding more downforce.
And while a bigger step may have to wait until 2024, Albon senses there is a good chance for the squad to unlock a good chunk of lap time if it can sort out some of the inherent car traits that have been inherent in the Williams design for years.
“I think we're in a window of opportunity for us, because we're achieving results and we believe there's even more potential if we can fix these characteristic problems,” he said.
“We got downforce on the car, maybe a little bit less than some of the top teams around us, but we're also poor within some corners where we just can't be at the limit through the whole corner because we have a certain limitation at a certain point. Once that goes away I think we are going to become a much more rounded team.
“That being said, it sounds very easy to say. It's been a limitation in the car for almost over five, six years, I'd say. So we do need to address it and fix it, but I feel like now, more than ever, there's a good chance we're going to really get on top of it.
“We may not fix it completely, but I do believe we're going to make a good step.”
