![Former F1 Champion Damon Hill “Nicholas Latifi has no speed to stay in F1″[F1-Gate.com]](https://i0.wp.com/f1-gate.com/media/img2022/20220913-nicholas-lattifi.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "Former F1 Champion Damon Hill “Nicholas Latifi has no speed to stay in F1″[F1-Gate.com]")
Nicolas Latifi welcomed Nick de Vries as his new teammate at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix after Alex Albon collapsed with appendicitis on Saturday morning. This meant that the 2021 Formula E champions only had one hour of free practice to get used to the car and the quirks of the Monza circuit before hitting the track for qualifying.
However, Nick de Vries overtook Nicolas Latifi to move up to Q2 in his first F1 qualifying session. Latifi was unable to get past Q1.
Both drivers got back on the grid due to the penalties to the engine of the rival drivers. Dec de Vries started from 8th on the grid and Nicolas Latis from 10th on the grid.
While Nicholas Latifi maintained his position at the start, Nicholas Latifi quickly lost position and continued to lose positions.
Nick de Vries finished ninth, becoming the 67th driver to score on his F1 debut, while Nicolas Latifi finished on lap 15.
The result meant that, at the age of 27, Nick de Vries overtook Nicolas Latifi in the drivers’ standings in a single appearance. Latifi has not yet scored a single point this season.
Damon Hill says Nicholas Latifi doesn’t deserve to keep Williams’ F1 spot at the 2023 F1 World Championship.
“I’m sorry, but that’s the way it is,” the 1996 F1 world champion told Sky Sports.
“In this case Nicholas does not have the necessary pace to maintain that position in F1”.
“He had some good times, but a guy who had never driven a Grand Prix before came and did a great job.”
As for Nick de Vries, reserve driver for the Mercedes F1 team, he is expected to replace Nicholas Latifi on the grid in 2023.
Damon Hill says having the entire F1 paddock talking about Nick de Gries is a good start.
“I know he was given grid penalties and things like that, which brought him to the grid, but he still performed well in qualifying and made no mistakes,” said Damon Hill.
“He did enough for us to talk about him and he has Toto[Wolf]that talks about himself, which is what it takes to be a Formula 1 driver. “
Two points for Nick de Vries added, bringing Williams ‘point tally to six in 2023, but the team remains anchored at the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship.
