Nyck de Vries: a mixed start to the season for a false rookie
After several years as a reserve driver, Nyck de Vries reflected on his long-awaited Formula 1 debut.
Having arrived from Formula E this year, Nyck de Vries is competing in his first year of Formula 1 as a full-time driver. The Dutchman has joined a struggling AlphaTauri team and has yet to score any points in four races.
Nyck de Vries did not need a long adaptation. He has already driven a Formula 1 car on several occasions, with teams like Aston Martin, Mercedes, and Williams. The Dutchman also spent several years as a Mercedes reserve driver. It’s like I already knew the environment because I spent several years there. Except now, it’s me who is in the car, he explains.
A newcomer with experience
Even though he is a rookie, Nyck de Vries is not like any other. The former Formula 2 champion, who is now 28 years old, has been crowned the Formula E world champion and has also participated in several endurance races. The Dutch driver already has significant experience in motorsport and the surrounding environment: « In terms of work, it’s mainly the same as what I have done before in Formula E. »
Even though he is happy to have been able to fulfill his dream, Nyck de Vries knows that performance is paramount in Formula 1. With 0 points at the start of this season, the Dutchman is expected to step up in the upcoming races: “Everything revolves around performance. It’s a sport and everyone works hard to score as many points as possible. […] Once you have your opportunity, it all comes down to performance.”
Difficult first weekends
In Bahrain, Nyck de Vries never found his race pace. Quickly eliminated in Q1 in 19th position, the Dutchman was outpaced by his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, who managed to make it to Q2 by seven tenths. In the race, he finished in 14th place, well assisted by the three retirements.
In Saudi Arabia, things are not improving for the former Formula 2 champion. Once again eliminated in Q1, finishing in 18th place, and once again behind Yuki Tsunoda, Nyck de Vries couldn’t find his rhythm during the race and will finish in 14th place once again.
In Melbourne, Nyck de Vries finally makes it past the Q1 stage and manages to advance to Q2 for the first time since his official debut in Formula 1. He finishes 15th but still behind Yuki Tsunoda, who qualifies in 12th position. In the race, he will not be able to take advantage of this confidence and the many retirements as he will be involved in a crash himself.
Finally, in Baku last weekend, the nightmare continued for the Dutch driver. After a short but good practice session, finishing in sixth place, Nyck de Vries will not have the opportunity to perform. In the first qualifying session, the former Mercedes driver ended up in the wall at Turn 3. In the qualifying session for the sprint race, Nyck de Vries did not do any better than last place. This year, Yuki Tsunoda leads his teammate 5-0 in qualifying. The race will not be much better as it will end for the Dutch driver at the fifth turn.
Franz Tost gives him some time.
After his crashes in Azerbaijan, his boss, Franz Tost, wants to give him time, something he likes to do with rookies. The future former boss of AlphaTauri emphasizes the need for patience in a sport that demands little. “I’ve always said that there is a learning phase with crashes. It takes three years to understand what is happening in this environment,” he reiterated. These words align with the Dutchman’s perspective.
The Austrian also found mitigating circumstances for his driver’s mistakes. « It’s clearly a disadvantage for rookies to only have one free practice session. Only one, then the qualifications. It adds a lot of pressure. », defended the AlphaTauri boss. Nyck de Vries still has time to increase his pace.
