Williams will drop Nicholas Latifi at the end of the season

Williams has announced that Nicholas Latifi won’t be retained beyond the end of the 2022 F1 season, apparently bringing the Canadian driver’s F1 career to an end after three years with the team.

First paired with George Russell and more recently Alex Albon, Latifi has struggled to impose himself against his highly-regarded teammates, amassing just seven world championship points since his debut in 2020.

His maiden points haul came via a seventh place finish at the frantic Hungarian Grand Prix in 2021, backed up with P9 in the very next race in Belgium.

However the 27-year-old is rooted to the bottom of the driver’s standings this year with zero points, a position made even more uncomfortable by the performance of reserve driver Nyck De Vries at Monza two weeks ago: the Dutchman was a late replacement when Albon was ruled out with appendicitis, yet he still managed to score points with a stunning debut drive.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone at Williams Racing - all the people back at the factory and those I work with trackside - for the last three years,” said Latifi. “My initial F1 debut was postponed due to the pandemic but we eventually got going in Austria and, although we have not achieved the results together we hoped we would, it’s still been a fantastic journey.

“Getting those first points in Hungary last year was a moment I’ll never forget, and I will move onto the next chapter of my career with special memories of my time with this dedicated team. I know none of us will stop putting in every effort until the end of the season."

And team principal Jost Capito remarked: "On behalf of the whole team, I would like to say an enormous thank you to 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 work and is well liked and respected throughout the business.

“Our time together is now coming to an end, but I know he will put full effort in to maximise what we can do together for the remainder of this season. We wish him all the very best of luck for his future, both in and out of the cockpit."

Williams says it will announce Latifi's replacement 'in due course'. Do you reckon De Vries has done enough to warrant the seat, or will the team choose someone else?