The six regular Formula 1 drivers who took part in the last Virtual Grand Prix will return to action for this weekend’s Chinese Virtual Grand Prix, including debut winner Charles Leclerc for Ferrari.
After being denied his Formula 1 debut by the coronavirus outbreak which forced the cancellation of the Australian Grand Prix last month, Nicholas Latifi will also having to wait for his maiden home race following its postponement.
Jamie Chadwick has renewed confidence in breaking into Formula 1 having taken encouragement from seeing Nicholas Latifi progress with support from the Williams Driver Academy.
Nicholas Latifi says watching the strong seasons Lando Norris, Alexander Albon and George Russell all enjoyed in 2019 means he’s confident he can emulate them as the next rookie to reach Formula 1.
Williams is set to see both this season and the 2020 Formula 1 world championship effectively as one campaign as it joins the rest of the grid in running two separate development programmes to prepare for the 2021 shake-up.
2019 FIA Formula 2 - Spain – Feature Race Results 1. Nicholas Latifi CAN DAMS 37 laps 2. Jack Aitken GBR Campos Racing +1.9s 3. Guanyu Zhou CHN UNI-Virtuosi Racing +3.3s
Force India has confirmed its two test drivers Nicholas Latifi and Nikita Mazepin will return to action at the final in-season Formula 1 test immediately after the Hungarian Grand Prix, while the Canadian driver will also take part in FP1 at the German Grand Prix.
Force India development driver Nikita Mazepin has been handed the honour of running the VJM11’s Formula 1 test debut on the opening day of pre-season testing at Circuit de Catalunya.
Nicholas Latifi will take part in the opening pre-season Formula 1 test at Circuit de Catalunya plus an FP1 outing at his home race in Canada next June for Force India alongside his second season in the FIA Formula 2 championship in 2018.