Nyck de Vries
1. Who is Nyck de Vries?
Nyck de Vries is a Dutch pilot born on February 6, 1995 in Sneek, Netherlands. He is the Formula E world champion in 2021, and currently competes in Formula 1 with the AlphaTauri team.
Nyck de Vries testing with AlphaTauri during the Abu Dhabi post-season testing / © DPPI
2. Nyck de Vries junior course
Single-seater debut in 2012 at Formula Renault 2.0 level / © DPPI
World karting champion in 2011, Nyck de Vries began in single-seaters the following season, under the wing of McLaren, which placed him in its young drivers program. The Dutchman won the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup and NEC championships, first with the R-ace GP team, then Koiranen. After several successes in previous seasons, it was in 2014 that he marked his domination with a Eurocup-NEC double.
Promotion to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series makes sense for the Dutchman. His time with the DAMS team was encouraging but only ended in 3rd place in the championship behind champion Oliver Rowland and his runner-up Matthieu Vaxivière. De Vries goes down a level by signing with ART Grand Prix in GP3, one of the most effective springboards of promotion formulas. Unfortunately, he brings up the rear of a trio made up of Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon, respectively champion and vice-champion. De Vries finishes 6th…
Nyck de Vries in the GP3 Series at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium) in 2016 © DPPI
... but signed in the GP2 Series, where his first campaign saw him multiply the teams. His debut with Rapax was marked by several highlights: 2nd in the Monaco Sprint and 2nd in the Baku race (Azerbaijan). He swaps his seat with Louis Delétraz and joins Racing Engineering four rounds before the end of the season. A new 2nd place in the Sprint at Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), a fight until the last lap for a victory in Monza (Italy), and, as a result, a 7th place in the championship. De Vries remains in the category for 2018, but signs with one of the dominant teams in the field: Prema.
This second year at the gates of Formula 1 saw him win two victories, one of which by taking the advantage in the final laps in Budapest (Hungary) over another McLaren colt: Lando Norris. With 202 points, he is getting closer to the podium by snatching a 4th place, behind the Russell-Norris-Albon trio who are climbing into F1 from 2019.
The third Formula 2 campaign will ultimately be the right one for Nyck de Vries. He leaves the McLaren cocoon and returns to ART Grand Prix where he will be favorite for the title. A clear domination propels him to the rank of 2 F2019 champion on the Sochi circuit (Russia).
After three full seasons, Nyck de Vries hits the mark in Formula 2 in 2019 / © DPPI
3. Nyck de Vries’ Formula 1 journey
Test driver then Mercedes reserve since 2020, De Vries drives both with the star team and his engine clients, Williams and Aston Martin.
During the 2022 Italian Grand Prix, the Dutchman appeared in Free Practice 1 in Aston colors before being mobilized at short notice by Williams to replace an ailing Alexander Albon. Powered into his first qualifying session with only EL3 in his legs, De Vries achieved a small feat by hoisting his FW44 into Q2, when the holder Nicholas Latifi stopped in Q1.
The next day, the rookie did even better as he managed to grab an unexpected 9th place to score his first career points. De Vries did not miss his chance. While he is committed on paper to Toyota in the WEC and Maserati in Formula E for the 2023 campaign, he manages to free himself up to climb into Formula 1.
Except that the Dutchman will not ride for Williams, who preferred Logan Sargeant, but for AlphaTauri, looking for a replacement for Pierre Gasly, who went to Alpine.
De Vries took the time to become a Formula 1 driver but through self-sacrifice and effort he finally reached his goal.
De Vries impressed on swim debut at Monza in 2022 / © DPPI
4. Nyck de Vries’ journey in Formula e
After his Formula 2 title, Nyck de Vries' future in Grands Prix is blocked. The Dutchman then bounced back into Formula E where he defended the colors of Mercedes, who also fielded him as a test driver and Formula 1 reserve.
During his first FE campaign (2019/20), De Vries had to be content with just one podium and a modest 11th place in the Drivers' standings. The following season proved much more convincing since De Vries was crowned 2020/21 champion with two victories in particular.
The 2021/22 financial year turns out to be less conclusive with certainly a new success but a 9th place in the final ranking. Tipped to join Maserati after Mercedes' withdrawal from the electric championship, De Vries manages to free himself from his commitments to realize his F1 dream with AlphaTauri.
De Vries was crowned Formula world champion in 2020/21 / © DPPI
5. Nyck de Vries Endurance Course
From the 2018/2019 season, Nyck de Vries ventures into Endurance with Racing Team Nederland which competes in LMP2.
The Dutchman will also ride with the G-Drive Racing, then TDS Racing x Vaillante structures.
He has 4 participations in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, all in LMP2, with a best result of 4th place in class in 2022.
De Vries was expected to join the Hypercar program at Toyota to replace José María López but the F1 opportunity that presented itself at AlphaTauri pushed the Dutchman to free himself from his dual WEC-FE commitment.
De Vries in action at the 24 2022 Hours of Le Mans with TDS Racing x Vaillante / © DPPI
6. AUTOhebdo's opinion on Nyck de Vries
Passed under the radar, eclipsed by drivers with dazzling careers, but always present in the landscape, Nyck de Vries has carved out a discreet place for himself. And at a time when all precocity records are being broken in Formula 1, the driver stands out. His 28 years give him the title of second oldest rookie in the history of the category behind Brendon Hartley (in 2017/18 with Toro Rosso, already). For this hybrid driver, a novice like Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and Logan Sargeant (Williams) but with experience that would make them pale, the time has come... but also running out.
© DPPI
Replacing Gasly was not an easy task for the Red Bull sector in its daughter team, the Dutchman came at the right time. Hardworking, patient, reliable. Capable of a great synergy with Yuki Tsunoda on paper, to bring back points to a team seriously losing momentum... but also to warm up the place for the future prodigies of the Winged Bull in the presence of Dennis Hauger, Ayumu Iwasa or the French Isack Hadjar. If he wants to keep his seat as long as he dreamed of it, Nyck de Vries will have to show that, for him, the value has waited the number of years.
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