Formula 1: 3 possible replacements for Nicholas Latifi

While Williams recently announced Nicholas Latifi’s replacement for the 2023 Formula 1 season, a caveat could come into play. Who are some other possibilities?

Alexander Albon is set to return for a second year with Williams in the 2023 Formula 1 season, but teammate Nicholas Latifi will not return for what would have been a fourth.

As a result, Williams are one of two teams with an open seat for next year. Though the team recently “confirmed” a second driver for 2023, that confirmation can’t technically be considered official until the end of the Formula 2 season. And even then, it’s not a guarantee.

So who will drive alongside Albon in 2023? Here are three possibilities.

Possible Nicholas Latifi replacements for 2023: No. 1 – Logan Sargeant

The obvious answer to this question is Logan Sargeant, whom the team have confirmed will replace Latifi if he can score enough points to secure his Super License.

After running his first three free practice sessions for Williams at Circuit of the Americas ahead of the United States Grand Prix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, and Interlagos Circuit ahead of the Sao Paulo Grand Prix, he is set to return at Yas Marina Circuit ahead of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

If he is able to fulfill the requirements in that session without receiving a penalty, he would need a top six finish in the Formula 2 standings to secure his Super License. A top five finish is needed if he can’t.

But the fact remains that this isn’t a guarantee.

Sargeant sits in third place in the standings with just one more race weekend remaining on the 2022 schedule, but he sits just nine points ahead of three drivers who are tied for fourth, and sitting only three points behind that trio is the driver in seventh. What happens if he doesn’t secure it?