Ex-Formula 1 driver Nicholas Latifi has broken his social media silence, with the Canadian having not been heard from since his last race for Williams at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Latifi has kept a low profile since leaving the Grove-based team at the end of last season, following a three-year spell with the side.
Many have wondered if the 28-year-old is okay and what he’s been up to, something Latifi revealed in a letter to his fans.
Latifi has revealed that he won’t be racing at all this year and that he’s putting his racing life on halt for the time being.
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This is because he’ll be completing an MBA at London Business School, something he’s always “contemplated” doing.
“I decided very early on in the year that I wouldn’t have any racing plans for 2023,” he wrote. “It definitely felt very strange not having the same routine I’d been in for over half my life.
“Knowing that I wouldn’t be behind the wheel of a race car this year, I had obviously begun to think of what could be next for me, whether that involved racing or something completely different.
“I decided that for the immediate future, I wanted to take some time and pursue a different avenue and focus on another path.
“Growing up, I always had a keen interest in the world of business, and I always said it was something I would’ve studied at university had I not gone the racing route.
“With that in mind, and knowing I might be taking a break from racing, I decided that I want to pursue an MBA degree and focus on something that would transform the next phase of my life. An MBA was always something that I had contemplated doing post-racing life, even if that had been into my late 30s and early 40s.
“This was not an easy process and took many months! Anyone who has experienced the journey of applying to a business school knows how difficult it can be.
“After a five-month journey from starting the process, I am pleased to say that my candidacy was accepted for a place in the MBA program at London Business School (LBS), which I will be starting in August of this year.”
He added: “This decision may seem surprising to a lot of people. Transitioning to a different racing category might have seemed the most obvious move.
“However, I knew there would always be a life post-racing at some point, and I decided that now might be a good time to prepare myself for that.”
Latifi isn’t completely saying goodbye to racing and hasn’t shut the door on a potential return in the future, given that he remains “extremely passionate” about motorsport.
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“This is not necessarily a goodbye to the racing world forever,” Latifi said. “Racing has been my life since the age of 13 and is still something I am extremely passionate about.
“I haven’t missed watching an F1 race yet this season! However, I felt like this year was the right time to explore and pursue other avenues in my life.
“I’m very much looking forward to this next adventure and want to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my career thus far. I hope I can continue to have your support as I take some time to pursue a different path.”