Alex Albon wants to see F1 racing in Thailand

During his recent visit to Thailand, where he met with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and held a meet-and-greet with fans at Siam Paragon, Albon shared his insights on what it would take to bring F1 to the country.

Albon emphasized that infrastructure and location are the most important factors for Thailand’s bid to host a Formula One race. “From what I understand, if Thailand were to host a race, the demand will be very high, and they’re going to have a lot of tourists coming in from everywhere around the world,” he said. “That’s why infrastructure is so important. It makes sense in some ways to have it in the capital because it has the hotels and the airport to accommodate.”

Despite the challenges, Albon believes Thailand is well-positioned to adapt to hosting an F1 event. “We race throughout the world, some in a desert and other places in a city like Miami. So it can be quite accommodating for Thailand to make it work.”

One of the potential challenges Albon pointed out is Thailand’s climate. “The heat, I think, will be a big talking point. If it’s a day race, it might be quite tough,” he explained. “I think it would be great to have a night race because Thailand would be great at night. It’s also better for the drivers to race at night when it gets that hot.”

For a Grand Prix to be successful, Albon believes the track itself must be both exciting and engaging. “We don’t want a track that’s too boring—something that is visually interesting but also fun to drive. That’s going to be a bit of a challenge,” he said. “It should be a track that will be appealing to all F1 drivers when they come to Thailand.”

During his meeting with Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Albon shared his thoughts on how Thailand could prepare for a Formula One race. “I think it was very much about understanding how to help the government bring the Grand Prix here and seeing if there’s any way we can work together to prepare for the chances of this Formula One race happening,” he said.

He suggested that Thailand focus on building excitement ahead of the event. “My advice was mostly around activating in the time period before the race starts. Creating excitement and focusing on the positives of what we can do for Formula One in Thailand.”

Albon also pointed out the broader opportunities that F1 could bring to Thailand, especially in terms of education and career development. “Motorsport is big in Thailand, but Formula One is not as big as it is in other places around the world. There’s so much opportunity in Thailand that Formula One can bring—inspiring children to get involved in motorsport, whether as drivers, mechanics, engineers, or even in marketing and media.”

He noted that F1’s global appeal is growing rapidly among younger audiences. “Formula One has a generally young demographic. It’s becoming more of a 50-50 male-to-female sport, which is very unique. There aren’t many sports out there growing with such a young and diverse audience. So I think it would be something very inspiring and very positive for Thailand.”

As Albon continues his F1 season, he remains focused on his performance, including the upcoming race in Japan. “I don’t really set expectations too much. I’m more focused on the process and ensuring that I maintain a positive mindset,” he said.

Despite his busy schedule, Albon always makes time to enjoy the best of Thailand whenever he visits. “The first food I always eat is Pad Krapao, but I can eat that anywhere, really. Even my team at Williams makes it for me sometimes. But when I come home, I love the fruit and the quality of the food—it’s something I really enjoy.”

With the excitement surrounding a potential Thai Grand Prix, Albon’s insights provide a roadmap for making the event a success. While challenges remain, his confidence in Thailand’s ability to host an F1 race suggests that it may not be long before the country joins the global Formula One calendar.