Deliverance for all F1 fans? Williams has confirmed the end of Nicholas Latifi! Who will replace him at the team?

The long awaited news and speculation is now confirmed. Nicholas Latifi will retire from Formula 1 for the last 6 Grands Prix of this season and after that he will no longer be part of the Williams Racing team. So who can replace him in the British stable and what options does the Canadian driver have?

Canadian Latifi made his Formula 1 debut at the start of the 2020 season when he signed a three-year deal with Williams.

However, he certainly didn’t shine during that time, picking up just seven points in the queen of motorsport so far in the 2021 season. He finished his rookie season without scoring a single point, even though Williams was the weakest car in the field at the time.

His teammate George Russell, however, managed to score at least three points. A year later, Williams was much better off. This gave Latifi seven points in the drivers’ championship and Russell sixteen.

Russell to Mercedes, teammate Albon

For this year, however, Russell switched to Mercedes, a transfer that had also been highly anticipated for a long time. Latifi’s teammate is now the returning Alex Albon, who has taken an enforced one-year break from F1.

Nevertheless, he still clearly beats Latifi in terms of race pace, which is a testament to Albon’s talent. The Thai driver has already managed to score three points this year, finishing tenth in the Australian Grand Prix, ninth in Miami and one point for tenth place in the Netherlands.

And Canadian Latifi’s record? Zero, nothing, that is, apart from very few brighter moments indeed and one free practice win.

The Italian Grand Prix and De Vries’ ninth place

The crown was then added by young Nyck De Vries, who replaced Albon in the Italian Grand Prix.

It should be noted that De Vries is indeed a very talented driver, but one who has not had much experience of F1 so far. He took his chance very well at Monza, crossing the line in ninth place and scoring two points for Williams.

A bunch of collisions, affecting the title fight

Yes, Latifi will almost certainly be remembered by Formula One fans, but sadly, you could say in a negative way.

For it was the Canadian driver who smashed his monpost in Abu Dhabi a few laps from the end, greatly affecting the championship battle between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

But apart from that, across all seasons, Latifi has never been a mainstay of the team and has not been able to produce the kind of results that his teammates have. The Montreal native was able to work with the team, trying to improve, but it often did not bear fruit.

Latifi has been ridiculed many times, not only by the fans, mainly because of unnecessary riding mistakes or collisions.

Statements from Latifi and Williams team boss

“I would like to thank everyone at Williams for this opportunity – everyone at the factory and everyone I have worked with over the last three years. My F1 debut was postponed because of the pandemic. In the end, we started it in Austria, and even though we didn’t get the results together that we had hoped for, it was still a fantastic journey,” said Latifi in an interview with the official Williams website.

“Getting my first points in Hungary last year was a moment I will never forget. I move on to the next chapter of my career with special memories of my time with this passionate team. I know that none of us will stop putting in the effort until the end of the season,” he added.

“I would like to thank Nicholas for his three years of hard work with Williams. He is a great team player who has a great attitude towards his colleagues and his work and is well liked and respected throughout the company,” said team boss Jost Capito.

“Our time together is now coming to an end, but I know he will make every effort to maximize what we can do together for the rest of this season. We wish him the best of luck for the future, both in and out of the cockpit,” he concluded.

What next and who will replace him at Williams?

How Latifi’s career will now develop is the big question. In fact, it is unlikely that he will win any seat in Formula 1.

In the past, apart from the formula series, the Canadian driver has also hit the sports car series, in 2012. Also up for consideration could be the American NASCAR series, where historically several drivers have visited after their stint in F1.

But who could be the favourite to win his seat at Williams? De Vries, who we wrote about above, seems to be a very hot candidate. But he is also being linked with AlphaTauri, in addition to the British stable.

The transfer carousel in Formula 1 is still running at full speed, for example, Mick Schumacher still does not have a secure place in Haas and it is very likely that the son of the famous legend will leave the American team at the end of the season. And if Williams is hunting within its own ranks, it offers to give Logan Sargeant a chance.

Sources