Nyck de Vries said he is determined to prove Helmut Marko wrong after the Red Bull consultant fuelled negative speculation about the under-fire Dutch rookie’s Formula 1 future with AlphaTauri.
De Vries is one of only two drivers yet to score this season, with a best result of 12th in eight races for the Red Bull-owned team. In contrast, teammate Yuki Tsunoda has twice finished 10th for his team’s only points.
The team’s long-serving consultant, Marko, who oversees Red Bull’s driver development programme and is famed for a ‘shooting-from-the-hip’ approach to interviews, was asked whether he and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner ever disagreed about driver signings.
Marko said: “Not often, but sometimes we do. The last one, I’d say De Vries. Horner was not a fan of De Vries. I would say at the moment it looks like he was right.”
De Vries, the 2019 Formula 2 champion and 2020-21 Formula E champion, told reporters ahead of Red Bull’s home Austrian Grand Prix that “I think Dr. Marko would appreciate it if I proved him wrong on track. That’s all I kind of feel about it and what’s within my control. That’s it.”
Nyck: It’s just a matter of time for things to come together
The Dutch driver said there was no need to force anything: “I think the key is to just continue as we are and continue to focus on the job, remain patient, and then I think the potential is there so it’s just a matter of time for things to come together.”
This weekend in Austria, De Vries is on the fourth race of this “three-race yellow card” to up his game suggesting he did enough in Canada (18th and a lap behind the winner!) not to risk the wrath of his employers. No doubt they will again be watching his every move this weekend on the energy drinks organisation’s home soil.
Common sense suggests that if any AlphaTauri changes will be made, they would happen after the summer break, but history shows that RBR management can be ruthless and send a driver packing anytime. Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat will have interesting stories regarding their respective promotions/demotions during their time in Blue.
Furthermore, De Vries’s future has been made more uncertain by changes in the team management, with Ferrari sporting director Laurent Mekies set to take over as principal from Franz Tost in 2024. Marko told Austria’s Kleine Zeitung this week that the Italy-based team would also have new sponsors and a new name. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)