Nicholas Latifi has never quite lived up to expectations in Formula 1, and saw his time in the sport come to an end in Abu Dhabi, as Williams look to young Logan Sargeant to partner Alex Albon in 2023.
In his first two seasons in F1, Latifi was understandably in the shadow of British wonderkid George Russell, but after a strong end to the 2021 season it seemed written in the stars that Russell’s departure to Mercedes would allow the Canadian to become the number one driver at Williams.
Williams claimed that Latifi had kept his seat for 2022 out of merit, suggesting that the Canadian was no longer a ‘pay driver’ as the team had become more financially stable.
This season unfortunately did not live up to Latifi’s expectations however, as he has been outclassed by Alex Albon, and even beaten by Nyck de Vries on his F1 debut.
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The 27-year-old has now spoken out about his time with Williams, telling the media that he wishes that he could have achieved more over the past three seasons.
“I’m very grateful for the three years I’ve had with Williams in Formula 1,” said the Canadian.
“I’m leaving the sport feeling like I wanted to achieve and accomplish more, however it doesn’t always work out like that in motorsports.
“Along the way there have been highs and lows with many strong bonds and friendships that I’ll cherish.”
Williams team principal Jost Capito has previously suggested that the abuse that his driver received following his crash during the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which caused the famously controversial safety car, has negatively affected his performances in 2022.
The Williams boss has also thanked Latifi for his efforts over the three seasons he spent at Williams, wishing him the best in his future endeavours.
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“I’d like to say a huge thanks to Nicholas for his three years racing with the team,” he said.
“He’s a much-loved member of the team and will always remain a member of the Williams family. We wish him the very best of luck for his future.”
Latifi’s replacement initially hung in the balance, as Logan Sargeant did not have the required number of Super Licence points to race in Formula 1, but a combination of his finishing position in the F2 championship and free practice appearances saw the American reach the points total he needed.