Formula 1 Driver Alex Albon Hospitalized for Respiratory Failure Following Appendicitis Surgery

Dan Istitene/Getty

Formula 1 driver Alex Albon is receiving treatment at a hospital in Italy due to complications following appendicitis surgery.

His team, Williams Racing, released a statement Monday on their website to provide an update on Albon's health.

After being diagnosed with appendicitis, the 26-year-old athlete underwent laparoscopic surgery on Saturday that was successful, according to his team.

Mark Thompson/Getty

RELATED: Want to Know More About Formula 1? New Podcast Promises to Dive Deep Into the Sport

Following surgery, "Alex suffered with unexpected post-operative anaesthetic complications which led to respiratory failure, a known but uncommon complication," Williams Racing said. "He was re-intubated and transferred to intensive care for support."

Albon had shown "excellent progress overnight" and "was able to be removed from mechanical ventilation" Sunday morning, per the statement from his team. They added that he has been transferred to a general ward and is expected to return home Tuesday.

For now, his team said he will focus on "recovery and preparation ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix later this month."

Williams Racing did not immediately return PEOPLE's request for additional comment.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

On Saturday, Albon announced he would not be participating in Sunday's Italian Grand Prix due to his health.

"Appendicitis, surgery and no racing isn't what I was expecting this weekend!" he wrote in part on Twitter.

For the race in Monza, Italy, Albon was replaced by Dutch driver Nyck de Vries, who finished in ninth place, ESPN reported.

Albon, a Thai-British racing driver from London, made his F1 debut in 2019 as a part of Toro Rosso (now named AlphaTauri), one of Red Bull's two racing teams. After an impressive showing, the Albon replaced driver Pierre Gasly on their Red Bull Racing team, placing him next to future F1 champion Max Verstappen.

RELATED: Williams Driver Alex Albon Is on a Quest to Be a 'Better Version of Myself' in Formula 1 Return

But the honeymoon period for Red Bull Racing and Albon was short-lived — Red Bull ultimately moved Albon at the end of the 2020 season, demoting him to a test and reserve driver for 2021.

He also drove for Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, a grand touring car series based out of Germany and Europe. Last September, Albon signed with Williams.

Speaking to PEOPLE earlier this year, Albon said he "was super happy" after earning a spot back on the grid.

"It's that feeling you've worked for so long — pure joy," he added at the time.