Nyck de Vries has only had five races to prove himself in his first full season in AlphaTauri, with the team sitting ninth in the constructors’ standings. But there has already been speculation about his future in the sport, something he wanted to address when he spoke to the media ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Dutchman is yet to pick up a point in 2023, with his best finish of 14th achieved in both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Azerbaijan have proven to be a low point so far, with accidents in qualifying and the race marring their weekend, and they did not shy away from acknowledging those mistakes.
“[The speculation] It’s not really a surprise, I think it’s part of our industry and world and ultimately it’s about performance and delivery on the road,” he said.
“I think I have made too many mistakes. I am human, I make mistakes. I try to learn and move on. Also, I think I have shown a good pace at certain times, which encourages me and also shows me that the potential is there and I personally think that it is a matter of time before things turn out well.
De Vries added that he did not spend F1’s unexpected break caught up in media coverage of his future, but instead took advantage of the extra weekend.
“I’m so sorry to all the media that puts the time and effort into writing and stuff, but I was at my piano and having lessons and going to the gym,” he added.
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How rookies fare in the cutthroat world of F1 is always up for discussion, especially with more limited testing than in the past. Add in the sheer volume of information drivers must deal with, and the fact that racing is often dense and fast at the start of the year, and it’s no wonder some take longer than others to catch up.
“[The learning] it’s very broad… how you build a weekend, how you manage all your different fuel levels and different tire compounds, different engine modes and changing track circumstances,” De Vries added. “Starting with three-track street circuits is just: all the little things are cumulative. It’s not just one thing that makes it challenging, but I think together it’s not easy, but it’s our job and I try to do my best.”
But De Vries can count on his compatriot’s support, with Max Verstappen adding his point of view to the mix.
“At the start of your F1 career you want to start really well and that’s not always the case, push yourself even harder and that’s not going to work,” said the reigning world champion.
“Focus on your work, try not to overcomplicate things. I’ve told this to [De Vries]he knows it himself, so he just needs to get a good result.
“I think that will help him a lot. He knows what he has to do, he just needs to click.”