Streets / Formula One

𝟬𝟬𝟬. alicia hugo

STREETS -
prologue.

THE SUMMER BREAK OF F1 IS MEANT FOR DRIVERS TO RELAX. To enjoy time with their family and friends, or a bit of peace and quiet to themselves.

NICHOLAS LATIFI was on the opposite side of this scale. His summer break had been far from relaxing, his father had very early been diagnosed with a terminal illness. His father, the most important influence on his career. Not just for the money he plugged into the Williams team, but Nicky's father had been the man who picked his son back up after an extensive battle of hate after the Abu Dhabi crash, or the amount of hate he had to deal with on a normal basis.

In the comfort of his family home in Canada, Nicholas faces his biggest inner conflict. His father was not going to get better, and his condition would only worsen.

And for Nicky to go away on double headers or fly across to the other side of the world, it didn't feel right. He was quite an anxious person and the idea of not being there when his father eventually passed ruined him.

He discussed with JOST CAPITO the best way to move forward, the pair came to the best conclusion that if Nicky were to race he'd only have his mind plunged with the thoughts of his father. The best decision for the team and driver was to replace him for the rest of the season, and to see where Nicky's head was at the beginning of next year.

The decision of who rested upon Jost, who had only taken over the team at start of the 2021 season. In a short amount of time, he had to familiarize himself with the Williams Driver Academy, discuss with TOTO WOLFF to see if the Mercedes boss had anyone in his academy that could move up through the ranks. 

Currently the academy members who caught his eye the most was: ROY NISSANY, LOGAN SARGEANT and ALICIA HUGO. One of those members in particular had made a mark on Motorsport, and not a good one at that. Roy Nissany, a formula two driver since 2018. Much controversy surrounded him, that's where Jost decided maybe he needed someone who had much more experience. Perhaps someone who had run a test for Williams.

Logan and Alicia, both had. But so had NYCK DE VRIES, a member of the Mercedes Academy. Winner of Formula E, runner up in the formula 2 championship of 2019.

Alicia Hugo had been the winner, in her first season. Now it had been no easy season, De Vries was good competition and made her an even better driver. What did come with this constant battles on track with Nyck was praise. That the pair could keep it so clean and entertaining, but if you searched deep enough (like Alicia often did) you could find the comments that said she was undeserving of a seat, or undeserving of being apart of an academy. And some of the sexist pigs, believed she didn't have a place in the sport.

Her F2 Championship win had been dedicated to all those people who couldn't see the future. That women had a place in Motorsport, and if she was to be the only one who got the chance to move up in the ranks she would prove them all wrong. That she was not afraid to reach the top speeds, or go around the outside and make a move that may be considered 'too scary' for her.

Alicia had dealt with it all her life. Even in her carting days, the days she spent in the hot Spanish sun. Her father cheering her on from the sidelines, alongside another father. And coincidentally the owner of the track. At the ages of nine, Alicia was fighting against the toughest competitors. And fighting the discrimination that came her way.