With Nyck De Vries and Max Verstappen, the Netherlands will have two drivers on the 2023 F1 grid. And with Verstappen already a 2-time World Champion, the focus will now shift onto debutant De Vries.
De Vries has a long list of accomplishments. He was the 2010 and 2011 Karting World Champion, the winner of the 2019 F2 Championship and the 2020-2021 Formula E champion. However, the 28-year-old never got his F1 break unlike contemporaries Lando Norris and George Russell.
However, he got his break when he replaced Alex Albon for the 2022 Italian GP. The Dutchman claimed points on his F1 debut with a P9 finish. The performance prompted AlphaTauri to provide Nyck with the 2023 racing seat.
De Vries will be in the limelight ahead of his first racing start as a permanent F1 racer. But his departure has already made Mercedes question their decision of letting him go to rival Red Bull’s sister team.
Also Read: Nyck De Vries Blames Himself for Being Unable to Follow George Russell and Lando Norris to F1
Nyck De Vries was an ideal test driver claims Andrew Shovlin
A new book has been released in the Netherlands, celebrating the rise of Nyck De Vries and Max Verstappen. The book titles ‘Max & Nyck’ authored by Ivo Pakvis and Stijn Keuris talks about how Max became a 2-time World Champion and De Vries’ unconventional path to F1.
De Vries joined Mercedes in 2020 and has been their test driver for 2 seasons. He played a key role in the team and Mercedes trackside engineering Director Andrew Shovlin remembers him as an “Ideal test and reserve driver.”
Shovlin stated in the newly launched book, “He fitted in our team very well, but you can’t hold someone back.” Shovlin also mentioned that his Formula E win boosted Mercedes’ brand image.
But the team were unable to retain the Dutchman’s services for another year. De Vries wanted to race in F1 and according to his contract with Mercedes, he could leave the team if the Silver Arrows cannot promise him a permanent seat.
He added, “If we could hold onto him to use him when needed, we would have done that. But then we would have prevented a driver from pursuing his dream.”
Also Read: Max Verstappen Felt Fellow Dutch Racer Wasn’t Ready to Join Red Bull’s Sister Team
Nyck might be promoted to Red Bull
Andrew Shovlin believes Nyck De Vries’s arrival will be clinical for AlphaTauri. De Vries brings with him experience and a proven past of winning.
And if the team can get a one-off chance, he can even compete for wins. Shovlin stated, “I have no doubt Nyck can win races if he is with the right team and in the right car.”
While AlphaTauri doesn’t envision themselves as Championship contenders, De Vries can fight for the title if he moves to Red Bull. And a move to the Austrian team doesn’t seem unlikely for Shovlin.
He predicts Red Bull can shake things up and bring an All-Dutch lineup of Max Verstappen & De Vries for 2024.
He added, “I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s not long when we’re racing against him in the Red Bull factory team. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if that happened in the next 12 months or so.”
With Sergio Perez’s contract expiring at the end of 2024, there is a possibility of Nyck moving up the ranks if he manages to impress Helmut Marko and co. But with Daniel Ricciardo on the sidelines, it won’t be an easy fight for him.
Also Read: AlphaTauri Won’t Use Max Verstappen as Benchmark to Evaluate Nyck De Vries
