F1: Ex-Williams Driver Nicholas Latifi Pauses His Racing Career to Study MBA
After his contract with Williams was not renewed, Nicholas Latifi left Formula 1 at the end season. Latifi has broken the silence for the first time in eight months and has announced his future plans.
By Divyam Dubey
Nicholas Latifi has shocked everyone by announcing he is giving up racing for the time being in order to return to school. After the 2022 season, Williams decided to replace Latifi with a young rookie named Logan Sargeant, therefore ending Latifi's career in Formula One. As a result of his often lacklustre performances, Latifi became the unjustified focus of several online memes, although his career was nonetheless curious. When the Canadian unwittingly set in motion the chain of circumstances that ultimately resulted in Max Verstappen winning the world championship in 2021, he did not win over the hearts and minds of every F1 fan. As a consequence of this, Latifi was subjected to threats of murder, and ever since he retired from the sport a year ago, he has avoided the public spotlight.
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F1: Nicholas Latifi Breaks the Silence
On Tuesday, Nicholas Latifi reemerged to provide some news about his future plans. He said he was stepping away from racing to pursue a business degree.
He said: “Hey everyone, I know I’ve been quiet on social media this year. I’ve seen plenty of messages from supporters worldwide asking what I’ve been up to and what my plans will be for the future. As of recently, I have some news I’d like to share with all of you."
In addition, he said, "I decided very early on in the year that I wouldn’t have any racing plans for 2023. It definitely felt very strange not having the same routine I’d been in for over half my life. Knowing that I wouldn’t be behind the wheel of a race car this year, I had obviously begun to think of what could be next for me, whether that involved racing or something completely different. I decided that for the immediate future, I wanted to take some time and pursue a different avenue and focus on another path."
"Growing up, I always had a keen interest in the world of business, and I always said it was something I would’ve studied at university had I not gone the racing route. With that in mind, and knowing I might be taking a break from racing, I decided that I want to pursue an MBA degree and focus on something that would transform the next phase of my life," Nicholas explained.
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F1: Nicholas Latifi Formula 1 Career
Latifi, who began racing when he was 13, said he is "still passionate" about the sport and hasn't missed a single event this year. After driving a Williams F1 vehicle for 61 races without much success, he decided to switch careers for the time being. Latifi's Formula One career lasted all of three years, and he scored just nine points.
Latifi quit Williams after the 2022 season, having finished as high as eighth at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. Logan Sargeant, a promising American F2 driver, took his spot. Since losing his seat at the conclusion of last season, the racer has avoided the limelight.
When Latifi crashed in the last laps of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it triggered the Safety Car, which prevented Lewis Hamilton from clinching a record-breaking eighth world title. After getting death threats after his Abu Dhabi disaster, Latifi was seen in public with hired bodyguards in London last year.
