AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries has indirectly responded to recent comments made by Dr Helmut Marko, who indicated in an interview that Red Bull boss Christian Horner was not a big fan of De Vries and that the British man has so far been proved right by the Dutchman’s performance.
When asked on the Inside Line F1 podcast if he could remember the last time he disagreed with Christian Horner over the choice of a driver, Helmut Marko explained that Horner was not a particular fan of the Dutchman:
“The last time, I think, was with Nyck de Vries, and so far he [Horner] seems to have been right.”
Long gestation and ultimately a disappointment
De Vries has long been regarded as a promising prospect in the world of motorsport but perhaps had been somewhat overlooked from time to time. His journey to Formula 1 began in karting, where he showcased his exceptional skills and determination to succeed. He progressed through the junior categories, impressing with his speed and consistency.
The breakthrough moment came last year when de Vries stepped into the Williams cockpit during the Italian Grand Prix, finishing in the points at his first ever Grand Prix.
The promotion to a regular race at Red Bull’s AlphaTauri team has proved somewhat less spectacular with the Dutchman failing to score even a single point thus far.
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Lights out… and straight into chaos 🤯#AustrianGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/IZS04FBxAs
— Formula 1 (@F1) June 28, 2023
Horner slams de Vries
Not known for mincing his words, Red Bull’s Dr Helmut Marko slammed the Dutchman in the press earlier this week.
Christian Horner, a significant decision-maker, was not a supporter of the 28-year-old driver Nyck de Vries, the youngster that eventually won the drive.
Marko acknowledged that disagreements over driver selections are rare but admitted that it sometimes happens. He cheekily mentioned that Horner’s reservations about de Vries now seem justified, hinting at the Dutchman’s underwhelming performance in the Formula One season so far.
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de Vries responds to Marko comments
Asked on Thursday in Austria what he thought of Dr Marko’s comments about him, Nyck de Vries insisted that he was not surprised because all the drivers on the grid are judged on their performance.
“I think Dr Marko will appreciate it if I can prove him wrong,” said Nyck de Vries on Thursday in Spielberg, the venue for this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.
“It’s up to me to prove myself. That’s also part of Formula 1, where it’s all about performance. It’s not something that happened today or yesterday.
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“That’s how it works in this world, and I’m as well prepared as I can be for that too. So it’s no surprise in that respect. It’s my job to do the best I can on the track, and that will be the case again this weekend.”
“That’s what I’m concentrating on. It’s the only thing I can have any influence on,” concluded the Dutchman.
Before the Austrian Grand Prix, Nyck de Vries had still not scored a single point this season after eight races.
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