TICKTUM RELEASED BY WILLIAMS

The career of English driver Dan Ticktum has taken another turn, released by Williams Grand Prix Engineering effective immediately.

The reason for the decision is yet to be confirmed.

Despite renewing his arrangement as a simulator driver with the team in March, Ticktum’s term with the team has come to a premature end.

During his time at Williams, the 22-year-old took part in the F1 team’s simulator-based car development program, as well as assisting the team at the factory and race track.

In conjunction with his position at the Williams academy, Ticktum has been competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for Carlin.

He currently sits fourth in the standings, with a win to his name in Monaco.

Ticktum explained his exit from Williams on Instagram.

“[There was] no option for an F1 seat in 2022 for me,” Ticktum wrote.

“Thank you to Williams for the opportunity.

“[I] Hope to work together in the future.”

The timing of the release could not have been worse for the Englishman, who has come under fire recently for comments made about Williams F1 driver Nicholas Latifi online.

In an online video game stream Ticktum called Latifi “poo”, as well as questioning his F1 credentials.

“He’s older than me, [and] he paid to get there,” Ticktum said on Twitch.

“It’s not like divisions, it’s not like League 1 and the Premier League. That’s not how it works.

“Just because you don’t get to Formula 1 in motorsport it doesn’t mean you weren’t good enough to get there.”

With Ticktum gone the Williams academy is left with three drivers: Roy Nissany who has taken part in three F1 practice sessions for the team, reserve Jack Aitken who raced for them in Bahrain last season, and W Series winner Jamie Chadwick.

Ticktum dismissed suggestions of a link between his online comments and Williams axing.

“[Williams and I parted ways] before the recent Latifi related incident, just so people know,” he clarified.

Hailing from London, Ticktum is never far away from controversy and has had a rollercoaster career so far.

Perhaps the most notable incident occurred in Silverstone in 2015, when he received a one-year ban from motorsport for overtaking ten cars under safety flag conditions to deliberately crash into Ricky Collard in the British Formula 4 Championship.

Ticktum’s talent has rarely been questioned, as he has demonstrated with two Macau Grand Prix victories.

The 2017 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award is among his other achievements, as well as the Autosport National Driver of the Year title in 2018.

Ticktum was picked up by the Red Bull academy but was dropped after a couple of seasons.

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