Canadian driver Nicholas Latifi has signed with France-based DAMS racing team to compete in a full season of GP2 Series in 2016.

GP2 is an open-wheel racing series one step below Formula One, the ladder system into the pinnacle of motorsports. Latifi will be the first Canadian to race in the prestigious series since 2013, when Gianmarco Raimondo competed in two rounds.

“There haven’t been many Canadians who have come over to Europe to race, so having been able to secure a deal at such a high level, that’s just below F1, is amazing,” the Toronto native said. “I’ll be the first Canadian to compete in a full season of GP2, and to be able represent Canada is something quite special.”

Canadian racing fans have been waiting a long time for a young, up-and-coming driver to cheer for. Robert Wickens is the last Canadian driver to set foot in a Formula One car, taking part in test sessions with both Marussia Virgin Racing and Lotus F1 in 2011.

Latifi has quickly worked his way up the European racing ladder. He started go-karting at 13, and by 19 he had made the grade, signing to race in the highly competitive Formula Renault 3.5 series. He finished 11th in the overall standings in 2015 driving for Arden Motorsport.

Latifi’s determination and perseverance to crack into GP2 led him to join DAMS racing for the three-day, post-season GP2 test in Abu Dhabi in early December.

In just his seventh full season of competitive racing, Latifi was matched up against a strong 24-car field in Abu Dhabi. The field was a mix of Formula One’s test, development, and reserve drivers 

“I didn’t want to focus on too many of the other drivers, cause at the end of the day people are trying to go as fast as possible, so I didn’t let the thought of those other drivers change the way I approached my racing,” Latifi said.

He would go on to impress, recording the second fastest time on Day 1, followed by setting the fastest time on Day 2 and second fastest again on Day 3. He also recorded the fastest lap time over all three days.

“My goal is always to go as fast as possible,” Latifi said. “I knew that the car was quick, and that the team has the pedigree and racing history behind it. DAMS is one of the top teams, it’s a championship-winning team. I knew all the ingredients were in the right place for me to be able to be fast, but for sure I wasn’t expecting to set the overall fastest time.

“It was a test to integrate myself into the team, and to understand how they all work, the end result of setting the fastest time was a by-product of all the hard work done during the three days.”

Latifi said he’s expecting a tough rookie season in the GP2 Series.

“It’s always tough for people who don’t have a lot of experience in the series to excel, but I’m in the best environment [with DAMS] to learn and develop myself as a driver,” he said. “I expect the beginning of the season to be tougher than the end. In the beginning I want to be in the points regularly. Towards the end of the year if I can be challenging and qualifying higher up for podiums, then that would be great.”        

Latifi’s long-term ambition is to race in Formula One. The young Canadian knows the upcoming season is just the beginning of a long and difficult journey.

“My goal has always been to reach Formula One,” he said. It’s my passion and it’s my dream. The signing of this deal it means that I am one more category closer to achieving that.”