Nyck de Vries has been dismissed by AlphaTauri in a surprising move following the British Grand Prix, paving the way for the return of Daniel Ricciardo. The decision by the Red Bull junior team comes as a clear message to de Vries, who was once touted as the next big star in Formula 1 but has struggled to make an impact since joining the team at the beginning of the season.
De Vries, who failed to score any points this year, found himself consistently outperformed by his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. Ricciardo’s impressive performance during the Pirelli tyre test at Silverstone on Tuesday seemed to seal de Vries’ fate as the former Formula E champion was let go from the team.
Nyck past comments emerge
Nyck de Vries has found himself in an awkward position after previous comments resurfaced, where he claimed that Lando Norris and Alex Albon were not superior to him during their Formula 2 days. These remarks have gained attention on social media following the impressive performances of both drivers at the British Grand Prix.
Norris secured a fantastic second-place finish, propelling McLaren to the coveted position as the best of the rest behind Red Bull. Meanwhile, Albon continued to contribute to Williams’ points tally with an eighth-place finish.
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Pulling 5G around Becketts, Chapel 🤯
This Silverstone track is epic 🤩#BritishGP @Charles_Leclerc pic.twitter.com/wwneLSZoOg
— Formula 1 (@F1) July 7, 2023
de Vries: “They’re no better than me!”
The comments made by de Vries were originally published in the Dutch newspaper Friesch Dagblad before his victorious Formula 2 campaign in 2019. Reflecting on his competition against Norris and Albon in the previous season, de Vries expressed his belief that they were not significantly better than him.
“I do not want to be arrogant at all, but Norris and Albon were, in my eyes, really no better than me,” de Vries stated.
“Norris won only one race, Albon won four, and I won three.”
These resurfaced comments have garnered attention on social media platforms, with fans and followers noting the irony of de Vries’ statement given the recent performances of Norris and Albon in Formula 1.
While de Vries had achieved considerable success in Formula 2, it appears that his remarks have not aged well in light of his own struggles to make an impact in the premier motorsport category.
Final message from AlphaTauri to de Vries
In acknowledging de Vries’ departure, AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost expressed his gratitude for the Dutch driver’s contributions and wished him well for his future endeavors.
“I would like to thank Nyck for his valuable contribution during his time at Scuderia AlphaTauri and wish him all the best for the future”.
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Tost excited to see Ricciardo again
Meanwhile, Tost expressed his excitement about having Ricciardo back on the team. The Australian driver had initially been hesitant about returning to Formula 1 but has now joined AlphaTauri after sitting out the first 10 races of the 2023 season.
The decision to replace de Vries with Ricciardo not only highlights the team’s dissatisfaction with the rookie’s performance, but also signifies their eagerness to bring in a proven and experienced driver who can make an immediate impact.
Tost added: “I’m delighted to welcome Daniel back to the team.
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Even by Red Bull’s standards it is very harsh to sack him after only half a season. Even Brendon Hartley got a season and a half before they fired him.