Nicholas Latifi's ailing performance and why he should be on his way out of F1

Since his Formula 1 debut in 2020, Nicholas Latifi has not been setting the sport alight. He is always languishing at the back of the grid, and his teammates are always quicker and faster than him.

But for the Williams team, Latifi was a must-sign, given that he has the backing of his father's billions. And a cash-strapped team in F1 needs all the financial support they can get.

Sadly, the only thing going for Latifi is his dad's money. On-track mistakes are more prevalent than good results, leaving Williams with only one real option going into 2023: reconsider the Canadian's contract.

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Time's up

The Williams F1 team has been steadily declining for almost three decades, but things plunged even more in the last five years. Of course, to survive in F1, one needs deep pockets, which is why some teams opt for drivers who come with financial backing. Williams is one such team which had to opt for a pay-driver, and in 2020 it came in the form of Latifi.

The 2020 season was hit hard by Covid-19, yet in his first race, the Austrian GP, Latifi finished a credible 11th after qualifying in the 20th position. This could have been a sign of things to come - Latifi dragging his ailing Williams up the order in races - but it wasn't.

The results just never came. Only at last year's Hungarian GP did he score his first points - six for finishing P7 - and at the next race in Belgium, where he finished P9. To date, it's been his only two points finishes in his 66-race F1 involvement. It includes his reserve driver roles in 2018 and 2019.

Against teammates George Russell (2020-2021) and Alex Albon (2022-present), Latifi is yet to prove his worth. Both