Nyck De Vries will make his Formula One debut in 2023 with AlphaTauri following a distinguished performance with Williams in Monza.
The Dutch replaced Alex Albon in the Italian Grand Prix because Alex needed an appendix surgery and in addition to making his long-awaited Formula One debut, Nyck De Vries also managed to score points.
Being able to race in the major league for the first time was a remarkable accomplishment. A day before the race, he underwent car fitting as well. Additionally, winning points even oneis regarded as a win even though the Williams is not the track’s top car.
Together with his Formula E teammate Stoffel Vandoorne, the 27-year-old completed his maiden Mercedes test in 2020. Nyck, though, started a new path in Formula E as the team opted to go forward with different drivers. In Season 7, he enjoyed a brief moment of fame in the all-electric series.
Teams, including AlphaTauri, were keeping an eye on him after a strong weekend performance in Formula One. As a result of this, the Red Bull sister team announced that Nyck De Vries will be a driver in 2023 once Pierre Gasly’s situation with Alpine was resolved. Even though 27 is seen as being past the sport’s prime, it’s still a young age for a driver to be a rookie in F1. Furthermore, he will turn 28 before the 2023 season.
De Vries revealed on the Beyond The Grid podcast that he doesn’t really let his age bother him. He is aware that everyone takes a different route through life, even when they are seeking the same goal.
“Everyone walks their own path, so regardless of my age or how I got here,” De Vries said. “I think it’s almost irrelevant… I think getting the opportunity when the time is right is all that matters in the end.”
“For me personally, it’s obviously been a rollercoaster journey and it does feel even kind of better to now get the chance.”
“At times I probably would have thought it would have been less likely to ever realise my dream, but at the same time, I never really gave up on it.”
“Monza was very overwhelming, [but] at the same time, I think my experience and maturity helped me remain very grounded… It was a great experience and I’m very grateful for everything that happened that weekend.”
He will now team up with Yuki Tsunoda, a promising Japanese driver. De Vries was questioned about his new teammate as the group works to advance and become more competitive.
When the season begins, there will be a six-year age gap between the two drivers. De Vries, who has also competed in other series, would undoubtedly be an excellent mentor to assist Tsunoda solidify his position in Formula 1.
“When he was in F2 I was one of his biggest supporters,” he added. “He’s obviously an entertaining young guy and he’s not afraid to speak his opinion… I enjoy watching him, he’s very talented and very quick.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a great time together, and I look forward to joining him… It’ll be the first time in my career I’ll have smaller teammate than me! But we figured we still have the same shoe size.”
