Nyck de Vries was seen his karting days as a mega talent. He became world champion in 2010 and 2011, after which McLaren brought him into its own junior program. In the years that followed, he went through several junior classes in the single seaters, before switching to Formula 2 after a year in GP3 in 2017.
There he held his own in a field full of talented drivers. In his debut season, he finished seventh, followed by fourth in 2018. He finished that year behind champion George Russell, vice-champion Lando Norris and number three Alexander Albon. The three made the switch, but De Vries was left behind in Formula 2.
While the roads parted between the Sneker and McLaren, De Vries went on the hunt for the Formula 2 title in his third season in the F1 breeding ground. He won it by force majeure, but unlike the years before, there was no seat available for the F2 champion in the premier class of motorsport. De Vries switched further and started working for the Mercedes Formula E team.
His talent is beyond question there. The Dutchman had a solid debut season in the electric racing class and has started his second year very well. After five Grand Prix, he leads the championship with two victories.
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It shows that De Vries actually belongs in Formula 1 as well. It’s something former Formula 2 rival George Russell put it in an exclusive conversation with RacingNews365 totally agree. He has known the Dutchman for a long time and remembers how the three year older De Vries beat everything and everyone in the go-karts. “We were friends then. In 2011 he was my best friend in the paddock. He raced in KF1, I in KF3 and he dominated absolutely everything,” he recalls.
According to the Williams driver, Nyck was so good at karts that it may have worked against him in the single seaters. “His sheer dominance in his karting career may have hurt him a little when he got into the single seaters. Because he had never seen any setbacks before in his career,” he said. Nevertheless, De Vries should have a Formula 1 seat, says Russell.
“He definitely has the speed to be a great driver in my opinion. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets into Formula 1 in the next few years. He’s proven himself in Formula E, he’s always there. fight for that world title and he really is a great driver “, said the Brit, who does not necessarily miss racing against De Vries. “I wouldn’t say that like that. We’ve met each other on the track in Formula 2, he’s a hard racer, but always fair. Missing him is an exaggeration, but he’s doing great and like I said,” I wouldn’t be surprised if we see him back in Formula 1 sometime in the coming years. “
The setbacks that De Vries never had in his karting career, Russell says he has known in recent years. This has made him a stronger person, he confirms when we ask him about it. “Without a doubt, without a doubt. Everything goes well in life sometimes, but when you get to the top you always have to deal with big disappointments. If you don’t know how to deal with that, it will eat you up. then it affects your performance. “
“Remember my race in Imola last year,” he continues when we spoke to him before the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. “When I crashed behind the safety car, but also think of the two tough years I had in my junior career, 2013 and 2015. Those moments helped me in my further development. The race for Mercedes in Bahrain last year was also a bitter one. pill to swallow, but I have now left it behind me. If I had had a different career path, I think it would have haunted me to this day, “said the Briton.
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