Williams and Latifi reached an agreement to separate their paths at the end of the 2022 season of motorsport’s highest category, since the Canadian had failed to show the progression of last season, as reflected by his empty points locker.
In this way, Nicholas Latifi will put an end to his stage as a Williams driver after three seasons, while the Grove team has not yet announced who will be Alexander Albon’s new partner in 2023.
Explaining Williams’ decision, the Toronto driver said the team made the decision after Monza, but that the verdict was an amalgamation of things beyond that weekend, and not in response to Nyck de Vries’ performance. as a substitute for Albon at the Italian Grand Prix.
“It’s simple; it’s a results-driven industry, and obviously the performance hasn’t been there this year for different reasons. The team had to choose the path that seemed best to them and they did. So yeah, it’s very, very simple,” Latifi said.
“I understand the decision, obviously. And I just have to, well, I’ve already accepted it, so I have to move on and look at what the next stage of my career is going to be.”
“I can say that I am satisfied with what I did. In a way, accepting the decision has been easier because I don’t regret how I have done my job these years, neither on nor on the track. It just didn’t work out. So yes , I do not regret anything”.
After making his debut in the 2020 season, Latifi earned a renewal and showed clear progress in 2021, closing in on then-teammate George Russell at times, even scoring a total of seven points.
But Latifi has acknowledged that he has not been able to adapt to the FW44 following the rule change, saying he rarely had the confidence to show what he was truly capable of.
“The philosophy of these cars, not necessarily ours, has increased the difficulty of driving. Obviously they are very different, they go more to the limit, they are less flexible, less forgiving, partly because of the tires, partly because of the aerodynamics, stiffness, etc.
“I would say it’s not nice to drive. And our car in particular had some fundamental issues with balance. So obviously we’re lacking downforce.”
“That’s a problem, because you know, downforce is… you always want more. And we know we’re missing a lot because when we get to the tracks that require maximum downforce we’re the least competitive by quite a bit.
“With last year’s car, I felt quite a bit better. But still, to be honest, it was never a car that suited my driving style, I had to change quite a bit and adapt myself to it.”
“It was easier for me to deal with the one from last year. And the philosophy of that regulation was a bit simpler, while this year, it has never fit in with my style,” concluded Latifi, who will finally not be on the grid for Formula 1 in 2023.
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