Williams’s Thai driver has raised awareness and supported the work of the Wat Sakaeo orphanage , near Bangkok, since he landed in the Grove ranks, because the brother of team boss Jost Capito, Volker, lives there and runs an organization charity that supports said orphanage.
That relationship began with a visit from Alex Albon earlier this year to the orphanage and that furthered his commitment to help the Iceman charity renovate the orphanage’s sports hall, which will be renamed the Alex Albon sports hall upon completion.
To help fund the project, the Thai will contest this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix wearing a helmet designed by the same orphans who reside there, which will be auctioned off after the event with the proceeds going entirely to the orphanage.
“Basically, they’re raising money for their sports hall and they got to design a helmet for me,” Albon said. “There were about 200 kids who got into it and they all did the best they could.”
“I’ll wear it and then auction the helmet off. We’ll give 100% of the proceeds to charity.”
The helmet in question, light blue in color, has a big smile and different small drawings on the front.
Another of the children designed the top half, depicting orphans holding hands around Albon’s personal logo, while the side of the helmet features an elephant, a very important element of Buddhism and Thailand’s national animal.
On the back is a drawing of Albon himself alongside two orphans in red jerseys, a memento of when the Williams driver played football with the children at the orphanage, most of them Liverpool FC supporters, hence the color red. .
At the time of writing, the helmet has already received 26 bids, with the highest bid exceeding £8,000 (€9,000). The auction is available on the website of Formula 1 itself and will be open until October 11, 2022.
Foto de: Alex Albon
Foto de: Alex Albon
Foto de: Alex Albon
Foto de: Alex Albon
Foto de: Alex Albon
Speaking to Motorsport.com earlier this year about his charity goals, the Thai said he had realized he was in a great position to help and noted it was an “opportunity to do the right thing”.
“I’m quite shy and I don’t like public things very much. But I believe and feel that I have the responsibility to do something that will generate good,” he explained.
“I feel very Thai and I want to do as many projects as I can to give opportunities to people, children, whoever in Thailand.”
“Obviously I am aware that I am in a great position to help. It is a very good opportunity for me to do what I think is right. We have already been able to donate a lot of money and we are not going to stop, we want to continue on this path.”
Albon is back at the wheel of his Williams this weekend after missing the Italian Grand Prix with appendicitis. The complications of the intervention caused him to suffer respiratory failure that forced him to the intensive care room before being discharged from the hospital.
But three weeks later, Albon says he no longer feels any pain and is “perfectly fine.”
