Young De Vries impressed
From a young age, De Vries has impressed in the world of motorsport. Between 2008 and 2010, the Dutchman won several world championships within the karting world. In 2012, he made the switch to single-seaters with a seat in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0, where he managed to beat all his teammates. De Vries also demonstrated what he can do in Formula Renault 2.0. In his third season, the young driver managed to win both championships.
After his success, De Vries made the switch to Formula Renault 3.5 with DAMS, where he finished third in the championship with five podium finishes and one victory. Meanwhile, the Dutchman showed enough to advance to the GP3 series, where he made his debut with ART Grand Prix. De Vries scored his first podium at the Red Bull Ring and eventually finished sixth in the championship behind his teammate Charles Leclerc, who managed to win the title.
De Vries climbs up in Formula 2
Although De Vries did not win the title, like Leclerc he made the switch to Formula 2. In his first season, he finished seventh, scoring the second highest of all rookies except Leclerc. In 2018, De Vries drove for the Prema team, but his season got off to a difficult start. As a result, the gap towards his rivals keeps widening. In the second half of the season, the Dutchman managed to come back, but it was no longer enough to beat Alexander Albon, Lando Norris and title winner George Russell.
While Albon, Norris and Russell all three make the move to Formula 1, De Vries is left for his third season in F2 with his former team ART Grand Prix. It proved to be a strong season for De Vries, as with four wins and eight podium finishes, the Dutchman won the title in his third season.
Formula E champion
As there is no place in F1 for De Vries, the Dutchman makes the switch to Formula E with the new Mercedes team. In his first season, De Vries finished 11th, while teammate Stoffel Vandoorne came second. However, it didn't take long before De Vries also found success in the electric series, as the following year he became the official Formula E world champion. From 2021, De Vries could also call himself reserve driver of Mercedes' F1 team.
Unexpected opportunity in F1
De Vries stayed with Mercedes in the 2021-2022 season, but it would be the brand's last season in FE. De Vries must therefore look for a seat with another team, but at the Italian Grand Prix, the Dutchman unexpectedly made his Formula 1 debut with Williams. Albon was unable to race due to appendicitis, giving De Vries the chance to compete in an F1 race for the first time. With minimal preparation, the 27-year-old driver got into the Williams car for qualifying, where he immediately impressed with a place in Q2.
Due to several grid penalties, De Vries moved up into the top ten for the race start. The Dutchman held on well and eventually crossed the finish line in ninth place, taking two important points for the Williams team. After his impressive performance, more and more reports appeared about a possible F1 seat for 2023. Not only William, but AlphaTauri were also said to be looking to offer him a contract due to the possible departure of Pierre Gasly. In the end, AlphaTauri pulled the trigger.
Nyck de Vries in 2023
Via a diversion, De Vries still managed to reach the king class of motorsport. In 2023, he will drive alongside Yuki Tsunoda as a regular driver at AlphaTauri, replacing the departing Gasly. At the age of 28, the Friesian driver will be at the start of his first full Formula 1 season.
