Nyck de Vries, under pressure to deliver at AlphaTauri, admits amid speculation regarding his future with the team that he has made a little bit too many mistakes.
Nyck de Vries, under pressure to deliver at AlphaTauri, admits amid speculation regarding his future with the team that he has made a little bit too many mistakes.Nyck de Vries was hired by AlphaTauri to replace Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly based on his impressive performance for Williams in the 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza, when he filled in for an ill Alex Albon, and scored points for the Grove outfit.
However, the Dutchman is yet to replicate this kind of performance so far in the 2023 Formula 1 season, while he has been error prone, his best finish being two 14th places in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, while Azerbaijan saw him crash twice – in qualifying and the race.
The fact that Yuki Tsunoda has improved this year has put the spotlight more on De Vries with reports emerging that he might be on his way out of the team, to be replaced by Red Bull reserve Daniel Ricciardo, or Red Bull junior Liam Lawson.
Dr. Helmut Marko even gave the underperforming AlphaTauri driver an ultimatum as he has until Canada to prove himself worthy of his AlphaTauri seat.
Speculation not a surprise
Facing the media in Monaco, De Vries commented on rumors regarding his future; he said: “[The speculation] doesn’t really come as a surprise, I think that’s part of our industry and world and ultimately it comes down to performance and delivering on track.
“I think I’ve made a little bit too many mistakes. I’m human, I make mistakes,” De Vries admitted. “I try to learn and move on. Also, I believe that I’ve shown good pace at certain moments which is encouraging me and also proves to me that the potential is there and I personally believe it’s a matter of time for things to come together.”
The AlphaTauri driver insisted he is not paying attention to what is said about him in the media, just focusing on doing his own thing.
“I’m very sorry for all the media that puts time and effort into writing and stuff, but I was on my piano and having lessons and going to the gym,” he revealed.
He also pointed out the steep learning curve he as a rookie has to go through; he explained: “[The learning] is very broad… how you build a weekend, how you run through all your different fuel levels and different tyre compounds, different engine modes and changing track circumstances.
“Starting with three track street circuits is just – all the little things are cumulative. It’s not one thing that makes it challenging but I think together it is not straightforward, but it is our job and I try to give the best I have,” De Vries maintained.