Alex Albon's reputation as one of Formula 1's rising stars could face challenges in 2025, according to Spanish driver Dani Juncadella.
Juncadella, Aston Martin's new Formula 1 simulator driver, believes Albon may struggle to maintain his standing now that Carlos Sainz has joined Williams as his teammate.
"I've always been a bit more critical of Albon than people in general are," Juncadella said on the Duralavita podcast.
Reflecting on Albon's stint in DTM during 2021, Juncadella added: "I was with him the year he raced in the DTM, which was a very bad year for him because Liam Lawson destroyed him. In fact, you could see that he didn't even want to be there."
Albon, 28, spent 2021 in the German touring car series after losing his Red Bull Racing seat at the end of 2020, before returning to Formula 1 with Williams in 2022.
"Maybe his head was 100 percent focused on Formula 1 and returning to Formula 1, and he didn't even want to be there (in DTM) on those weekends," Juncadella continued.
"Unfortunately, I now have a rather negative image of Albon, from what I've experienced with him and what I've seen from the outside.
"I don't like the word overrated, but I've always considered him that way internally in my head. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens this year with Sainz at his side – a driver who is going to get on his nerves a bit and who comes with a massive background behind him.
"This year will tell us everything," Juncadella concluded.
Since returning to Formula 1, Albon has faced teammates such as Nicholas Latifi, Logan Sargeant, Nyck de Vries, and Franco Colapinto—all less experienced, proven and rated drivers.
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve shares Juncadella's interest in the Albon-Sainz dynamic.
"I'm curious to see Sainz with Williams," Villeneuve said. "His first tests were impressive because the car went faster than it had been before. And he's generally been a team builder everywhere he's been.
"So in a team that really needs it, let's see what the effect is. It could be an amazing step forward which is the biggest surprise of the year," Villeneuve added.
