F1: Fans call for Williams to sack Latifi and run de Vries

Nyck de Vries capped off a fine debut Formula 1 weekend with a ninth-placed finish at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday.

He was up in the paddock club hospitality enjoying a cappuccino on Saturday morning when he received a call from Mercedes, who then asked him to head over to Williams.

Alex Albon had come down with appendicitis overnight, and he was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the weekend.

In his only practice session to get accustomed to the car, the former Formula E champion was just a tenth of a second slower than teammate Nicholas Latifi, and he out-qualified the Canadian later in the afternoon.

He might even have made Q3 had it not been for an incorrect brake bias setting caused by the switch configuration on Albon’s steering wheel, to which he is not accustomed.

In the race, de Vries finished 9th and scored 2 points for the team, more than ride-buyer Latifi has scored all year.

Latifi is out of contract at the end of the season, and this weekend’s performance from de Vries possibly puts him in the best spot to succeed his fellow 27-year-old if the Grove-based side decide not to renew him.

Almost inevitably, there was ridicule of Latifi on social media as the pressure continues to mount on the Canadian.

A number of F1 fans urged Williams to “immediately” fire Latifi and replace him with the Dutchman.

“Hoping to see de Vries in the Williams again in Singapore,” one wrote.

“They need to immediately sack Nicholas Latifi after this embarrassment,” another chimed in.