Albon in heartfelt message after devastating earthquake: 'No place like home'
Williams Formula 1 driver Alex Albon's "heart goes out" to his home country of Thailand and surrounding nations after a devastating earthquake last week.
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Mandalay, the former royal capital city of Myanmar, on Friday [March 28], with Thailand, China and India also affected by the tremors.
The military government in Myanmar have suggested that 2,700 people have died and more than 4,500 have been injured, while at least 21 people are understood to have lost their lives in Thailand.
Albon, who was born in Britain but races under the Thai flag, has supported the Wat Srakaeo orphanage near Bangkok, raising money in recent seasons through auctions of race-worn memorabilia, among other initiatives.
No place like home
In a social media post after the disaster, Albon said: "No place like home, my heart goes out to everyone affected in the region by the earthquake."
Albon has been a key backer of a Thai Grand Prix, with any potential race likely to be on the streets of the capital.
“I’m super excited to hear the news about a possible Thai Grand Prix,” he said at the Chinese Grand Prix.
“It would mean the world to me for that to happen, and it would be another home race not just for me, but for Williams too. I’m very excited, it deserves to be on the race calendar.
“Speaking to the other drivers in Formula 1, I know a lot of them haven’t been to Thailand before. I would be really excited to show them the culture of Thailand, the people, the food. I want to be their tour guide for the weekends!
"Maybe we can go to some temples as well. I think it’s fantastic. I’d love to see Thai people more involved in the motorsport world and I’d like to try to help this happen in any way that I can.”
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met with the country's prime minister last month to further discuss proposals as the championship continues to consider new venues.
