“Nicholas Latifi can’t stay in F1”: 1996 World Champion Damon Hill launches scathing attack on 27-year-old Williams driver

"Nicholas Latifi can't stay in F1": 1996 World Champion Damon Hill launches scathing attack on 27-year-old Williams driver

1996 F1 World Champion Damon Hill insists that Nicholas Latifi does not have the pace to remain in Formula 1.

Latifi made his F1 debut at the 2020 Australian GP with Williams. He has remained with the team ever since, but his underwhelming performances have led to people questioning his place in the sport.

Williams have had a very weak car for the entirety of Latifi’s F1 career up until now. However, people find him too poor for F1 mainly because he has been comprehensively beaten by every teammate he has been up against. Current Mercedes driver George Russell was his partner at Williams for two years and the Brit outshone him almost every race weekend.

In 2022, Alex Albon made a return to F1 replacing Russell at Williams. In just his first season back, Albon settled in perfectly and has guided his Williams car to some great results this campaign. Latifi on the other hand is still the only driver on track yet to score a point this year.

Also read: “3 time world champion would have taken his hat off for Nyck de Vries”– Mercedes boss praises Formula E driver substituting Alex Albon for race in Italy

Nicholas Latifi does not have the pace to stay in F1, says Damon Hill

At last week’s Italian GP, Dutch driver Nyck de Vries acted as a last-minute replacement for Albon (who was out due to appendicitis). De Vries, who had never driven the car before put in a very impressive performance to finish P9 and score points on his debut. Latifi meanwhile, finished 15th out of the 16 drivers who finished the race.

Damon Hill himself is a legend in F1. He won the 1996 World Title with Williams, and is an active pundit in the sport today. While talking to Sky Sports after the Italian GP last weekend, the Brit made a brutal assessment on Latifi’s position in F1.

“I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is,” Hill said. “Nicholas doesn’t have the pace to stay in that position in Formula 1. He’s had some good times, but here’s a guy who hasn’t even driven in a Grand Prix before and he’s done a fantastic job.”

“He has done enough for us to talk about him,” he added. “He has Toto talking about him. That is what you have to do to become a Formula 1 driver.”

De Vries’ stunning drive in Monza has earned him plenty of plaudits. The 2021 Formula E Champion is now firmly in contention for a full-time F1 seat in the future.

Also read: “It means I won a World Championship”: 5 GP Winner Charles Leclerc wants to use Max Verstappen’s car number

Post Edited By: Somin Bhattacharjee
Damon Hill Italian GP Nicholas Latifi Nyck de Vries Williams

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Somin Bhattacharjee

Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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