Revealed: F1 teams tried to recruit Alex Albon for this season

Two F1 teams unsuccessfully attempted last year to recruit Albon for this season, ESPN report.

Albon remains tied to Williams until the end of next season but his performances have not gone unnoticed in the paddock.

"I am focused at Williams and that's really it in terms of that noise, which is a separate noise to rumours ... it's actual noise! It's not really for me to focus on. My manager can deal with all that,” Albon told ESPN.

"The only thing that's nice about rumours is it's clearly showing things are going well. They're nice rumours as well.

"I see some bad ones. It's always my friends sending me this absolute garbage, like, 'is this true!?'”

Albon added about interest from rival teams: “It's always nice to receive attention in that sense. Not just in a media and outside sense, but it's nice to feel it in a proper paddock sense, a team sense, where other teams are like that.

"I think purely as a driver it's all about performance. You've got to do your job and give yourself the best platform.

"My focus is on Williams and I'm excited to see this progress and see where it's going to take us in one, two years' time and see from there where we are, and can we be fighting for podiums?

"Because that's my goal, that's where I want to be, wherever that is. I want to have a chance to win races before I retire, before I turn grey and old! I'm ready for that."

Albon is in his fourth season in F1 and previously drove for Toro Rosso and Red Bull.