Nicholas Latifi signs deal with MP Motorsport for six GP2 races

Canadian racer Nicholas Latifi, who competes in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series for Arden, has signed a deal with MP Motorsport for six races in GP2 Series. The 20-year-old Latifi will be on the GP2 grid this weekend at Hungaroring and four more races during the second half of the season. Latifi will join MP Motorsport’s regular driver Daniël De Jong, in the car raced by Oliver Rowland at Silverstone.

“I’m really excited to be joining MP Motorsport. I have never worked with the team before but I look forward to developing a good relationship with everyone. I have driven a GP2 car previously, and raced in Hungary earlier this year, which will definitely help me getting up to speed quicker. Nonetheless, I know it will be a big challenge jumping into the car in the middle of the season but my goal is to just gain experience, constantly improve, and close the gap to the leaders with each track session,” said Latifi.

Nicholas Latifi in Formula Renault 3.5 Series

After a successful karting career, Latifi made his car racing debut in 2012 and became a race winner during his maiden campaign in the Italian Formula 3. After gaining wide-ranging F3 experience in the following year, in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and the British F3, Latifi also starred in his debut in the RTL GP Masters of F3, finishing seventh, and in the Macau F3 Grand Prix, where he was ninth.

Continuing in the European series in 2014, where he ended the year 10th overall with one podium, the Canadian also contested six Formula Renault 3.5 races, again becoming a podium finisher, and went on to finish in the top five in the end-of-year Macau GP as well as making his GP2 debut.

He debuted in the GP2 Series last year during the 2014 season finale at Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi with Hilmer Motorsport. So far this year, he has secured his best result of fourth place on two occasions in Formula Renault 3.5 and currently sits 11th in FR3.5 standings.

Looking ahead to the weekend’s action, MP Motorsport’s Sander Dorsman said: “We’re really happy to welcome Nicholas to the GP2 team and we’re sure he’ll make very good progress. He has amassed a lot of experience at a very high level over the last couple of years, with impressive performances, and we’re very much looking forward to working with him for the first time.”

Photos: Nicholas Latifi Facebook