Williams is understood to have parted company with its development driver Dan Ticktum.

Although there has been no official word from the Grove outfit, Ticktum announced his departure on social media.

The Briton, a two time winner at Macau and runner-up in the 2018 F3 European championship, was dropped by the Red Bull Junior Team at the end of 2019 and subsequently joined Williams at the beginning of 2020.

Having impressed the team with his simulator work he was retained for this season alongside his F2 programme with Carlin.

During a recent livestream on Twitch, the Briton was heard singing about Nicholas Latifi, describing the Canadian driver as "poo", yet despite the timing Ticktum insists that he parted company before the incident.

"Myself and Williams parted ways before the recent Latifi-related incident," he posted on social media, "just so people know.

"It wasn't announced until now as there was no option for an F1 seat in 2022 for me.

"Thank you to Williams for the opportunity, hope to work together in the future."

Its understood that at the time of the "Latifi-related incident", when a viewer remarked that the Canadian is in F1 while he is still in F2, Ticktum replied: "He's older than me. He paid to get there.

"It's not like divisions, it's not like League 1 and the Premier League," he added, "that's not how it works. You come up through the ranks, like, I don't know, whatever... Just because you don't get to Formula 1 in motorsport doesn't mean you weren't good enough to get there."

The 22-year-old is no stranger to controversy, having been handed a two-year ban for overtaking ten cars under safety conditions and then deliberately crashing into rival Ricky Collard at Silverstone in the penultimate round of the MSA Formula 4 championship in 2015.

With one year of the two year ban suspended, Ticktum returned to racing in 2017.

In 2018 he finished runner-up to Mick Schumacher in the European F1 championship, subsequently criticising the German in a series of social media posts, like Latifi referring to the youngster's financial backing.

A switch to Super Formula Championship with Team Mugen in 2019 proved unrewarding, as did outings in the F3 Asian Winter Series and Formula Regional European Championship.

In 2020 he contested the F2 championship with DAMS, finishing 11th overall, and is currently 4th having moved to Carlin.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 05/08/2021 14:38

"@ wokingchap...thanks, I will."

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2. Posted by Wokingchap, 05/08/2021 12:07

"@kenji.....with respect, add 'in generall' to my comment if it's not that obvious."

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3. Posted by kenji, 05/08/2021 0:00

"@Wokingchap.... Your comment re 'Stroll' should be seen in the context of the last race! I doubt whether Leclerc or Ricciardo would agree with your conclusion. As for Ticktum...after what he has done during his short career says to me that he should be told to pedal his wares somewhere else..."

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4. Posted by KKK, 04/08/2021 18:44

"What a stupid thing to say, yet alone think. Promising career down the pan because of social media. Take a himt, if youre in the (possible) limelight, go in the shadow and let your driving talk for you. Hope you grow up and do better."

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5. Posted by meatball, 04/08/2021 17:18

"it's like he's taking advice from Alonso and Ricciardo on how to submarine a promising career... though he does it through being a loudmouth. They've done it through bad team moves... "

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6. Posted by danielmb, 04/08/2021 16:31

"Seems like this kid is a major turd that Williams should be happy to flush!"

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7. Posted by Wokingchap, 04/08/2021 12:36

"He certainly seems to be a media nightmare, but i see nothing wrong with mentioning drivers financial backing, afterall look how well Lance Stroll is driving.... unlike others who are rather useless and shouldn't be anywhere near F1."

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8. Posted by Greg, 04/08/2021 9:29

"A big banana indeed..."

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9. Posted by Max Noble, 04/08/2021 8:26

"There is professional conduct, not-so-professional conduct, and being a King Size Banana in public with witnesses…. And there we go…"

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Williams parts company with Ticktum

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