Canadian Latifi secures F1 ride with Williams

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi will make his Formula One debut for the struggling Williams team next season as a replacement for veteran driver Robert Kubica.

The 24-year-old from Montreal finished the F2 championship this season in second place, winning four races with one race left in his third campaign on the circuit. He has also worked as a reserve driver at Williams this year, doing testing and simulator work as well as participating in practice sessions during race weekends.

“It still feels a bit surreal,” Latifi said. “I don’t think it will sink in fully until I’m on the grid in Melbourne next year.”

He will race alongside British driver George Russell, and completes the F1 grid for 2020.

Latifi joins Montreal’s Lance Stroll on the top circuit next season.

Williams has been the slowest car all season and scored one point, which was Kubica’s 10th-place finish at the German Grand Prix in July.

“I don’t underestimate the challenge ahead,” Latifi said.

Canadian Grand Prix promoter Francois Dumontier, who attended Williams’ introduction of Latifi in Abu Dhabi, called the presence of two Canadians on the F1 grid historic.

“It has never happened in the history of F1. If we talked to the 22 promoters of the F1 races, I’m sure they would all like to have one driver from home in the championship,” Dumontier said by phone.

Dumontier is excited about the prospect of having two Canadian drivers to promote at next year’s race in Montreal.

“Having two Canadian drivers gives us possibilities we did not have before,” he said.