Alex Albon admitted he regularly texts with his old boss Christian Horner – but ruled out a return to Red Bull any time soon.
Albon was called up to Red Bull mid-way through the 2019 season to replace the struggling Pierre Gasly. He was given 18 months to impress but things didn't quite go his way and he was replaced after the 2020 campaign.
After a year out of Formula 1, the British-Thai racer was handed a second chance by Williams. And he has repaid their faith with some impressive performances despite having a largely uncompetitive car.
The highlight of his Williams career so far came at the Canadian Grand Prix two weeks ago. In an excellent display of defensive driving, Albon held off faster cars behind him for a long time to finish seventh.
Speaking ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, he admitted he still receives regular messages from Red Bull chief Horner. "Christian is always messaging me, telling me 'good job'," he told reporters.
"It is always nice to have that relationship with an old team principal. It was a great weekend for us and it was obviously nice for Christian to say that."
Those comments will have caught the eye of some, given Red Bull's current situation. They have by far the fastest cars on the grid and Max Verstappen has been dominating proceedings this season, almost effortlessly at times.
In contrast, though he began the season well, Sergio Perez has struggled in recent weeks. A qualifying crash in Monaco meant he finished pointless that weekend, while he has also failed to reach the podium in the two races since.
Given his strong Williams form and Red Bull links, Albon has been linked with a potential return to his old team. But he ruled out that possibility for now, adding: "My main focus is with this team. This isn't a short-term situation, I am here for the long run.
"I am really enjoying working with the team, being where I am. I feel like we are on a journey and I want to continue this journey. Let's see how these next few years unfold. For now, very happy with where I am."
