Nicholas Latifi has started the 2022 season in a disappointing fashion. Having had a promising 2021 season, the Canadian has struggled to match his performances this time around. So, rumors are rampant in the paddock that there is trouble in the air for Williams and their Canadian driver.

The 26-year-old has also been consistently outperformed in qualifying and races by his teammate Alex Albon. The Thai driver has finished in the points twice while Latifi is hovering down at the very bottom with 5 races completed. His form is also worrying, as there is a downward trend. He lost an average of 0.645s per qualifying session in 2020 and narrowed it down to 0.339s in 2021.

READ MORE : Reports: Williams F1 Looking to Replace Accident-Prone Nicholas Latifi in 2022

However, the gap between him and Albon this season has increased. The former Red Bull driver is ahead of the Latifi by 0.764s in qualifying. This will no doubt leave Williams concerned, as they are looking at replacements. According to F1 journalist Joe Saward, one of them is Nyck de Vries.

Nyck de Vries could replace Nicholas Latifi

Despite Latifi’s poor performances, he adds value to the Williams team in terms of sponsorship money. However, with Albon consistently getting the better of him, many believe the time has come to replace him. Former F2 champion Nyck de Vries is in line to take the throne.

In his blog, Joe Saward wrote, “One suggested that Williams is looking to change drivers for the second part of the year as Nicholas Latifi has not done a good enough job. Things are complicated by money that the Canadian brings and by contracts, but if it happens, expect Nyck de Vries to take the drive.”

The 2019 F2 champion has been longing for an F1 seat. He is currently the reserve and test driver for Mercedes but also takes part in the Formula E championship. Only Charles Leclerc and George Russell have scored more points in F2 than the Dutch driver. He will hope to take the opportunity with both hands, without a doubt.

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Meanwhile, things are not looking good for Latifi. The Canadian is devoid of confidence but has shown glimpses of his potential in 2021. He will look to improve his performance, but time is not on his side.

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Alex Albon has settled into Williams very well. However, the team is looking for someone to compete with the Thai driver and propel them in their fight with Aston Martin. Should Williams replace Nicholas Latifi? Leave your opinion in the comments.