I never could stand Ticktum but as soon as he was dropped by Williams in 2021 as their reserve and development driver I started to miss him. I'm not sure why - maybe I missed the laughable controversy he created. His in-cockpit screaming complaints about other drivers or the car not behaving properly, were a mainstay in F2. Singing “Doo be doo be doo, Latifi is poo" during a Twitch livestream was just the excuse Williams needed to get rid of Ticktum after his poor performances in his 2nd and 3rd seasons in F2 and his continuous poor attitude on and off the track. (Latifi was a Williams F1 driver at the time.)

Ticktum couldn't afford any more mishaps following the shocking incident in 2015. The then 16-year-old was given a two-year racing ban (one year suspended) for what the Motor Sports Association deemed "a disturbing and dangerous episode". In race three at the Silverstone round of the MSA Formula championship, Ticktum and Ricky Collard were involved in a first lap incident that dropped Ticktum to the back of the field. The safety car was brought out. Still under the safety car on Lap 3, Ticktum ignored 13 yellow flags, four double-yellow flags, and 15 safety-car boards in order to overtake 10 cars so that he could crash deliberately into Collard.

Ticktum's downfall is his own fault because he never learnt from his mistakes. In 2020, whilst racing for DAMS in the F2 Feature Race at Silverstone, he even went as far as threatening a similar action to his 2015 debacle. After being overtaken by Deletraz at Hangar Straight, Ticktum shouted over team radio

“Next time that ***** tries a kamikaze move like that I’m going to crash with him! I’m never going to give him that much respect ever again.”

When I think back on all this, I realise I don't miss Dan Ticktum at all.

Money. It's all about money in motorsport.

If you have it, you can - evidently - always find some seat to showcase your lack of talent or class, whichever seems more appropriate.

November 19