IMAGO / PanoramiC
Following a dismal start to his rookie season with AlphaTauri, Nyck de Vries saw the Faenza-based outfit replace him with Daniel Ricciardo after just 10 races. De Vries switched to Formula E soon and what was initially thought to be a heartbreak has turned out to be the right move for him. In just two words, De Vries describes why he is happier.
De Vries is currently contracted with two teams- Toyota in the World Endurance Championship and Mahindra Racing in Formula E. In an interview on Lissie Mackintosh’s YouTube channel, De Vries took a sly dig at his former employers by saying:
“I’m with two great teams, very nice environments. I feel really um I would say supported and appreciated within those teams.”
Red Bull and its sister team letting go of De Vries after just 10 races surprised many. He didn’t even get half a season to prove his worth and controversy regarding Daniel Ricciardo’s appointment erupted. Red Bull, however, had its reasons behind letting the 29-year-old go.
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De Vries didn’t score any points in his 10 races with the team. His best finish was P12 in Monaco and mistakes on the track didn’t put his mind at ease, especially with figures like Helmut Marko publicly criticizing him. De Vries is in a much better place right now and is proving that a racing driver can be happy and feel fulfilled without being in F1.
Consistent mistakes and a lack of positives in the driving department meant Red Bull had had enough of the Dutch rookie. But that didn’t stop him from continuing to chase his passion. Now, De Vries is back in the series that made him a World Champion in the first place.
AlphaTauri axing was just a small hiccup for Nyck de Vries
Later in the interview, De Vries spoke about how he didn’t give up on his dreams despite suffering a major setback with his AlphaTauri sacking. He decided to help other drivers out and shared his experience with younger talents in the junior Formulas. Just a week after what was arguably a gut-wrenching moment, the Dutchman started enjoying racing again.
In July of 2023, De Vries flew to London to watch the Formula E season finale. He got a chance to revisit the paddock where he became World Champion 2021 and decided to reignite that passion.
De Vries met Fred Bertrand, CEO of Mahindra Racing. They spoke about a potential partnership, exchanged contacts and stayed in touch in the coming months. Soon, De Vries officially became a driver for Mahindra Racing and is living the high-life in the world of motorsports.
