Nyck de Vries says Super Formula is better preparation for F1 than F2

While the World Championship ofEndurance is set to visit Japan next weekend for the 6 Hours of Fuji, Nyck de Vries has already had a taste of the Land of the Rising Sun, by participating in the Super Formula event organized at the end of August on the Twin Ring Motegi. The Dutchman drove the n°19 of Team Impul for the occasion, in which Theo Pourchaire made his debut in the first round of the 2024 championship. While De Vries' thirteenth place at the finish may be anecdotal, the champion F2 2019 has brought about a lot of information on a discipline that is still little known in Europe, where many Europeans have nevertheless distinguished themselves in the past.

The one who drives for Toyota en WEC and for Mahindra in Formula E noticed a real difference in the way things are done in Japan. A way of processing information that is perhaps more "artisanal" than in our championships, but which allows the driver to make a real difference, and to have to get more involved, as he told us in the Austin paddock last weekend.

“I really enjoyed the experience, it’s a very different environment compared to what we know in Europe. I really enjoyed myself, the Japanese are very kind, respectful and welcoming. It was a real challenge, the team was very friendly, but their way of doing things, from a technical point of view and on the processes, it’s not something I’m used to at this level. For a driver, it’s an interesting experience because everything is a little less sophisticated and professional compared to European standards. It means that as a driver, you have a lot more responsibility, you have to get involved, know what’s going on, learn to be able to make the right changes, etc. It’s more difficult because there are fewer processes, so it’s a bit like moving in the dark, but I enjoyed it.”

While he was able to touch his dream of Formula 1 During eleven Grands Prix in 2022 and 2023, Nyck de Vries was able to provide an analysis of the level of preparation that Super Formula could provide, in which we were able to see the evolution Pierre Gasly in 2017 for example, compared to F2, the “official” promotion formula of F1: "I also thought after the weekend that it was a better preparation for F1 than F2. The performance gap between F2 and F1 is still quite significant, while Super Formula is right in the middle in terms of lap times."

Japan, a country where "common sense" prevails

De Vries also questioned the relationship that the European and world championships can have with penalties and other investigations. For the Dutch driver, our competitions can sometimes lack a little common sense when faced with increasingly complex regulations, while in Japan, discussion and suggestions are always welcome and can sometimes lead to rule changes in the middle of a weekend, as long as they are motivated by common sense.

“I noticed that during the whole weekend, no one was called by the stewards, for any reason. It just doesn’t exist in Europe! We have to ask ourselves if it’s because we are less respectful and break more rules, or if it’s because maybe we put too many rules in place and lose common sense. I feel that in Japan, because they have a very respectful and disciplined culture, common sense prevails. People respect the rules more in general.

To give an example, at the end of the drivers' briefing, Naoki Yamamoto stood up and started a conversation with everyone, asking if we could do something about overtaking in qualifying, in the warm-up laps. They finally determined a place on the circuit up to which we were allowed to overtake. Then from turn 10, it was forbidden. So there was no longer any question of hindering or anything, we could no longer overtake at all. This kind of respect, in Europe it would not work because everyone would want to be last and it creates situations like at Monza for example.

Interview by Michaël Duforest, in Austin.