Sebastian Vettel has shared his thoughts on Nyck de Vries’ sudden departure from AlphaTauri, describing it as “hard” and “brutal.” The retired four-time Formula 1 world champion expressed his sympathy for de Vries and expressed concern about the impact on his career.
The 36-year-old just hopes this doesn’t ruin the Dutchman’s career: “I met him for the first time last year and he seemed like a really good person – and he’s a good driver.”
Describing his former team’s actions as ‘hard’ and ‘brutal’ is certainly somewhat of a strong reaction to the events of last week. AlphaTauri themselves didn’t sanction the sacking of de Vries, but rather that of the senior team Red Bull Racing who made the decision over the young Dutchman being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo.
Vettels’ achievements thanks to Red Bull
Sebastian Vettel’s Formula One career with Red Bull Racing was nothing short of extraordinary. The German driver joined the team in 2009 and went on to achieve remarkable success, securing four consecutive World Championships from 2010 to 2013.
Vettel’s partnership with Red Bull Racing proved to be a match made in heaven. Under the guidance of Team Principal Christian Horner and technical genius Adrian Newey, Vettel flourished as a driver and formed a formidable combination that dominated the sport during their peak years.
In 2010, Vettel secured his first World Championship, becoming the youngest ever Formula One champion at the age of 23. He won the title in dramatic fashion at the final race in Abu Dhabi, overcoming a points deficit to claim the crown. The victory marked the beginning of a historic run for Vettel and Red Bull Racing.
F1 dominance with Red Bull
The following year, Vettel and Red Bull continued their dominance. Vettel achieved an astonishing 11 victories out of 19 races, setting numerous records along the way. With an unrivaled combination of speed, consistency, and sheer determination, he clinched his second World Championship, cementing his status as one of the sport’s brightest talents.
Vettel’s reign continued in 2012 as he battled fierce competition from drivers such as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton and came out on top.
The pinnacle of Vettel’s career with Red Bull Racing came in 2013 when he became only the fourth driver in history to win four consecutive World Championships. His dominance was unrelenting, claiming 13 victories and tying the record for the most consecutive wins in a single season.
With this in mind, plus the fact that since leaving the team after 2014 he has maintained a good public relationship with Red Bull, his comments over Nyck de Vries are incredibly strong.
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Vettel reacts harshly to Red Bull’s actions over de Vries
Speaking at the “Goodwood Festival of Speed” in West Sussex, UK, Vettel remarked:
“Of course, it’s a shame for Nyck how it ended. I think he had a great chance. Maybe things didn’t go the way he or the people expected for him. But it’s also a bit hard when it ends so suddenly. That’s brutal.”
Vettel hopes that the setback won’t negatively affect de Vries’ career, highlighting his achievements in winning the Formula 2 championship and international championships. He emphasized, “He’s very well respected, and I hope that kind of dip doesn’t affect his career. People tend to do that, and that’s not right.”
Schumacher reacts to sacking
Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher expressed a pessimistic view, considering it an “absolute death sentence” for de Vries’ future prospects.
“Of course it’s an absolute death sentence for the boy. After that he won’t be able to gain a foothold anywhere – my opinion.”
Vettel happy for Ricciardo
While Vettel empathises with de Vries, he is pleased for his former Red Bull teammate, Daniel Ricciardo. The Australian driver replaces de Vries at AlphaTauri and will be paired with Yuki Tsunoda.
“I like him, of course I’ve raced him, and I met him in testing when I was trying out the 1993 McLaren for this weekend. I’m very, very happy for him,” Vettel commented on Ricciardo’s new opportunity.
Webber hopes Ricciardo well
Mark Webber, Vettel’s former teammate, advised Ricciardo against leaving the Red Bull camp in 2018. Webber cautions that Ricciardo will need to quickly adapt to his new teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, at AlphaTauri.
“I was very keen for him to stay at Red Bull; I think he knows I tried to persuade him to stay all those years ago,” said Webber.
“But obviously he really wanted to go to Renault at the time, then he went to McLaren, took a year off, and now he’s back.”
Webber hopes that Ricciardo can assert himself against Tsunoda and deliver strong performances.
“The stopwatch never lies. You either put pressure on someone else, or you are under pressure yourself. Now he’s back and he has to assert himself against Yuki quickly. Hopefully he can show strong performances,”
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