"I think the stewards were a bit asleep"- Nicholas Latifi slams FIA stewards after getting 'compromised' at Italian GP

Nicholas Latifi has said that his race got compromised at Monza last Sunday early on, where multiple cars cut corners, and he ceded position.

The Williams driver reckons the stewards should have been more alert, as Latifi ended up ceding advantage to Haas. Looking back at his race, Latifi said:

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"I just got really compromised in the first corner, just got sandwiched between cars and tried to avoid getting crushed into. Then there was a few cars, I think one of the Haas (cars), cut the corner with no consequence at all. He was behind me at the first corner, and then he exited to a few places in front of me, so yeah, I think the stewards were a bit asleep there because it was multiple laps and didn't do anything."

The Williams driver added that driving behind the Haas put paid to his hopes, as they were quicker in the corners. He said:

"That first lap and then being stuck behind the Haas, which in clean air I think I was quicker than, but problem is we have no grip through the corners. I mean they're pulling like a second through the corners and we gain maybe some of it in the back straights."

Latifi added:

"The race is over really pretty much after the first corner because then you're the first out-of-position car that all the leaders come through, and (then) not the leaders but the cars that are gonna come through, the Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari, you just lose two seconds each time."

Nicholas Latifi ended the race as the last classified driver in the standings as he capped off another poor weekend.

Nicholas Latifi's poor weekend contrasted his teammate's strong showing

Nicholas Latifi's poor showing at Monza was in complete contrast to what his teammate - F1 debutant Nyck de Vries - did in the same car. While Latifi finished far down in the standings, De Vries ended with a point in his very first outing for Williams.

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The Dutch driver was very happy after the race, saying that he looked to make the most of his opportunity. De Vries said:

"I'm feeling really good about today and think it was crucial to get the start right and a clean run into lap one. I got into a DRS train which helped to stick with the pack; however I think the pace was really good and we made a good call on strategy and tyre management."

He said about being adjudged the Driver of the Day:

"Driver of the day makes me so happy, and I'm very pleased and thankful that I got given the opportunity, and I grabbed it with both hands. It was a great day for the team, and whilst grid penalties played in our favour, ultimately, we did a great race, so I'm very happy for everyone in the team and for myself."

De Vries' result puts further pressure on Nicholas Latifi to put together a better performance, as his future at Williams looks uncertain.