'I quit F1 to attend business school - now I have a product to rival Lewis Hamilton'

When Nicholas Latifi departed Williams at the end of the 2022 season, many expected the Canadian racer to transition into IndyCar, the World Endurance Championship or another racing discipline.

Instead, the Montreal-born racer, who made 61 starts during his three-year stint with Williams, shocked the racing community, announcing an indefinite break from the track. In 2023, he enrolled at the London Business School to pursue a Master of Business Administration qualification and graduated in 2025.

Now, after taking time to consider his next move, the 30-year-old is venturing into the alcohol industry. Following in the footsteps of former F1 rival Lewis Hamilton, who launched his alcohol-free Almave tequila brand in 2023, Latifi announced his own product, Leve Agave Spirit.

Updating fans in early November, Latifi posted on Instagram: "Over a year ago, along with two friends from London Business School, we set out to create a version of tequila that better fits how we drink today - socially, mindfully, and without overdoing it.

"With that mission, we created Leve, a mid-strength agave spirit (22% ABV) crafted for a lighter, smoother, more modern way of drinking, while staying true to tequila's traditions.

"From the initial idea to product development, branding, production, and now launch, it's been an incredible ride. What started as a conversation in a classroom is now a bottle we're holding in our hands, and soon, hopefully, you will be too. We're just getting started in the UK, but we're excited to finally share it with all of you."

Latifi has since posted a couple of behind-the-scenes videos. In the first, he visited a warehouse outside London, checking out the first editions of the product and loading up samples before teasing an imminent release. The next insight offered a peek into the photoshoot for the first product drop.

With a significant platform underneath him and a growing interest in the alcohol-free lifestyle, Latifi's decision to enter the market is understandable. Hamilton opened up about his sobriety journey, while Lando Norris ditched the booze throughout his title-winning 2025 campaign.

"I don't know if I'm going to drink again," Hamilton told Vogue after launching his Almave brand. "Since I've stopped drinking, I've just been feeling so much better, so much more clarity. I sleep better, I wake up in the morning, and I can still get up at 5 a.m."