At Williams, the cockpit becomes free
Does the driver behind make room for Schumacher?
09/23/2022, 1:48 p.m
Mick Schumacher’s open contract situation gets new fire. In Formula 1, a cockpit will be free at Williams. The racing team separates from the only regular driver who has not yet collected any season points.
The traditional British racing team Williams is parting ways with regular Formula 1 driver Nicholas Latifi after this season. The 27-year-old Canadian will not get a new contract, the team announced. This year he is completing his third season for the team that used to be so successful. As the only regular driver, however, he is still without points – and thus 21st in the World Championship ranking.
Latifi made his Formula 1 debut for Williams at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix in Spielberg. In 55 starts so far, the 27-year-old has scored seven World Championship points – last year he was seventh in Hungary and ninth in Belgium.
“I know that none of us will stop giving everything until the end of the season,” said Latifi. “Although together we didn’t get the results we were hoping for, it was a fantastic journey.”
Who will start for Latifi for Williams next year is open. Among other things, Mick Schumacher is also traded as a candidate. The contract of the 23-year-old son of record champion Michael Schumacher with the American team Haas also ends after this season. Team manager Günter Steiner still sees no rush to decide on a new contract.
Although a possible change in contrast to the Alpine variant looks like a step backwards, it will probably be more important for Schumacher to stay in Formula 1 at all. Most recently, the Dutchman Nyck de Vries was used for Williams at short notice. He made his Formula 1 debut because Albon was unable to start at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza due to appendicitis. De Vries is currently the favorite as a driver for the Red Bull sister team Alpha Tauri. There he is supposed to replace Pierre Gasly, who in turn wants to switch to Alpine. But the Mercedes replacement driver is also in talks with Williams, he said.
Alexander Albon is seeded as one of two Williams drivers for the coming year. The complete duo will be announced in due course, according to the racing team.