Max Verstappen has offered his backing for Alex Albon at Williams and expects that the 'less-pressure environment' will allow his former Red Bull teammate to thrive.

Albon has spent a year away from Formula 1 this season, competing in DTM, after losing his Red Bull seat to Sergio Perez.

He remains a member of the Red Bull driver programme, though, and will be looking to begin his comeback trail to the main team next season with him getting a chance at Williams back on the grid.

Certainly, it's going to be fascinating watching him in a team that is completely external to the Red Bull outfit and Verstappen thinks his old teammate could well excel for a Williams side that is looking to keep progressing and climb up the field.

"I don’t know how he looks at it but he knows he has the speed. I think we all know that he has. He has shown this from go-karting.

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“But probably in a less-pressure environment, it will be good to come back like that and like I said, I’m sure he will do well.

“Of course, you need to get used to the car, we all do with the new rules, but he will do good.”

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Albon will partner Nicholas Latifi next year at Williams with them tasked with looking to restore one of the sport's famous old names back near the front of the grid.

It's a tough ask, of course, but 2022 provides an opportunity for every team to upset the status quo and Williams will have firm eyes on doing that.