'Hurt' Alex Albon already has fire to get his place back on the Formula One grid in 2022 after being dropped by Red Bull Racing

Former Suffolk schoolboy Alex Albon has stated his determination to bounce back from losing his Red Bull Racing seat for the 2021 Formula One season.

The Bures-raised driver finished seventh and earned his first two podiums in his first full campaign with the team, accumulating 105 points.

But after his fourth-placed finish at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 13, Red Bull announced Racing Point’s dropped driver Sergio Perez would replace him alongside Max Verstappen.

Mexican Perez finished fourth in the drivers' standings with 125 points, including a surprise victory at the Sakhir Grand Prix in Bahrain.

But Milton Keynes-based team Red Bull have confirmed former Littlegarth School and Ipswich School pupil Albon will be retained as their test and reserve driver.

“Alex remains an important part of our team as test and reserve driver with a key focus on 2022 development and we would like to thank him for his hard work and contribution,” said team principal Christian Horner.

“Alex is a valued member of the team and we thought long and hard about this decision.

“Having taken our time to evaluate all the relevant data and performances we have decided that Sergio is the right driver to partner Max (Verstappen) for 2021.”

Reacting to the news, Albon, who drives under his mother's Thai nationality, posted on Instagram: “I can’t lie guys, it hurts. I gave it everything out there, but it wasn’t quite enough.

"I want to say a huge thank you to all of you that supported me throughout this year, especially my Thai fans.

"With all the different opinions out there, I always had you guys to push me through it."

He added: “I’m not giving up, I’ve poured my life into this and I won’t let it stop here. I have more to give and my focus is getting back for 2022 and to wave the Thai flag again!"

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