Albon crowned Rookie Of The Year at FIA Prize Giving Ceremony

It’s been a remarkable 12 months for Alex Albon. Selected somewhat out of the blue to drive for Toro Rosso in 2019, and then promoted to Red Bull mid-season, the British-born Thai racer has now capped a remarkable debut campaign by picking up Rookie Of The Year honours at the FIA prize-giving ceremony in Paris.

Albon had never even driven an F1 car when Red Bull - who had dropped him earlier in his career - signed him to Toro Rosso. But after a swift initiation in pre-season testing, Albon impressed mightily over the first half of the season, and eventually got the call to partner Max Verstappen at Red Bull in place of Pierre Gasly from Belgium onwards.

He ended the campaign with 92 points to his name to finish eighth in the drivers’ standings. And while he didn’t get his hands on a podium finish - Lewis Hamilton spinning him out of an almost certain rostrum in Brazil - the 23-year-old does end the season with some shining silverware in his pocket.