Nicholas Latifi says the relatively late start to his motorsport career means his experience level is comparable with rivals who graduated to Formula 1 as teenagers.
Latifi will make the step up to Formula 1 with Williams in 2020 and is set to be the only rookie on the grid.
Latifi, 24, will be older than eight of his rivals, while all of next year’s drivers made their respective debuts aged 23 or younger, including six as teenagers.
Latifi has spent four years in Formula 2 and classified as runner-up to Formula E-bound Nyck de Vries in the 2019 championship, but only started karting in 2009.
“For sure I think if I had gone into Formula 1 two or three years ago, I wouldn’t have felt as ready and prepared as I do now,” said Latifi.
“A lot of people don’t realise that I started racing quite late in terms of karting, so my motorsport age, I only started racing karts at 13 years old, compared to guys like, in extreme cases, Verstappen, Esteban, I think they both had a kart at four years old.
“When you take that into consideration from when I started to when I’m in F1, it’s about 12 years.
“It’s the same for a guy like Max, [who joined Formula 1 when he was] 17 years old, 13 years from when he started driver. It’s about right, let’s say.
“Compared to the more recent rookies, I’m definitely on the older side, but in terms of my experience level in motorsport, I think it’s right for me.
“I feel the most prepared and ready that I’ve ever been, and ready to make the step up.”
Latifi will link up with former Formula 2 opponent George Russell at Williams, the Briton having stepped up to the team in 2019.
“Obviously George is one of the highest-rated junior drivers,” said Latifi. “I’m very much looking forward to going up against him.
“For sure he’ll be a good benchmark and good reference to me, helping me to learn.
“He’s not going to be a rookie next year anymore, so I assume he’ll have some advantage, but I think we’re going to work very well together.
“Where the results are and performance is going to be, it’s obviously very difficult to say, but regardless my goal is still going to be to try and extract the maximum out of the package that I can.”
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