Nicholas Season Latifs it didn't start as hoped: zero points in five races and last place in the drivers' standings while his teammate Alex Albon he has already collected three points. Although the championship has only just started, rumors have already spread about Nyck's possible arrival at Williams De Vries in 2023.
The Dutch talent, winner of the Formula 2 championship in 2019 and 2021 Formula E champion, has not been in a Formula 1 car since last December, when he drove the Mercedes W12 during the Abu Dhabi tests.
Next Friday, however, the 27-year-old will be driving for Williams in the first free practice of the Barcelona Grand Prix, replacing Alex Albon and therefore going into direct comparison with Latifi. Williams' decision is part of the new rule in force from this season according to which each team must allocate two free practice sessions per year for "young drivers" who do not already have a full-time seat on the team.
Alex Albon, then, will come back in the car for FP2 and then complete the entire race weekend. The absence in FP1 shouldn't be a big problem for him, since he has already tested the track with his FW44 during the pre-season tests at the end of February.
The words of De Vries and Williams
De Vries it is said excited about the opportunity granted to him by the Grove team: “First of all, I would like to thank Williams for the opportunity to race in FP1. It's great for me to get to know the team and drive the FW44 as well take to the track during a Formula One weekend. The preparations for the test are going well and the team has supported me incredibly. I can't wait to experience Spain!"
The Dave Robson, head of vehicle performance at Williams, is thrilled with the news: “We can't wait to have Nyck de Vries in the car for FP1, because it's always good to work with a new driver and have a new opinion on the car's strengths and weaknesses. L' extensive experience , professionalism of Nyck will be crucial on Friday, when he will complete some of the key engineering tests in FP1 before handing the car back to Alex for FP2."
In terms of the drivers' market, a free practice session is not enough to formulate concrete hypotheses. However, if Williams were to remain satisfied with the Dutchman's performance, interesting scenarios could open up.
SOURCE STATEMENTS: FormulaPassion, Motorsport.com
Cover photo: Williams.com
