“3 time world champion would have taken his hat off for Nyck de Vries”– Mercedes boss praises Formula E driver substituting Alex Albon for race in Italy

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims that Nyck de Vries would have received standing applause from former world champion Niki Lauda.

Alex Albon had to be replaced for the Sunday race in Monza while hospitalized for his appendicitis surgery. Williams hired Nyck de Vries for qualifying and race to fulfil Albon’s absence.

The 2019 F2 champion and current driver for Mercedes in Formula E gave an incredible performance. He ended up with two points with Williams on his F1 debut. To give perspective, Nicholas Latifi is yet to gain a point with the same team after 16 appearances this year.

Thus, De Vries was heavily praised, and now Mercedes boss Toto Wolff claims that 3-time world champion Niki Lauda would have taken off his hat the Dutch driver.

“I don’t think that anyone else could have possibly done a better job than what he did,” he said. “You’re in an Aston Martin you were driving around with a rake and then you were being drafted in last minute in a different car.”

“You’re beating your team mate by quite a margin, starting eighth and you’re finishing ninth. Niki would have taken his hat off as a driver,” he added.

Also read: Robert Lewandowski remembers 7-time world champion Michael Schumacher in F1

Will Nyck de Vries get a seat next year?

So far in this drivers’ market shuffle, De Vries hasn’t gotten enough attention from the other teams. However, with his impactful performance in Italy, he got ample eyeballs looking in his way.

Now, recent reports have suggested that Alpine and Williams are looking to hire De Vries. Though, Gasly is still closer to the French team. Now it remains to be seen who will the teams with vacant seats will hire.

Everyone wanted to congratulate @nyckdevries on his awesome debut in Monza! 🥰#ItalianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/NGmULQtK3m

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 11, 2022

Wolf last season tried hard to get him the seat at Williams. But the vintage F1 team went for Red Bull academy graduate Albon. Now, if they get paired in 2023, it would be interesting to see their partnership.

Also read: Sebastian Vettel hits out at Italian President Sergio Mattarella suggesting F1 bowed down to 81-year-old’s ego at Italian GP

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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