De Vries impressed at Monza: 'Therefore it was an easy decision'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
After his Formula 1 racing debut for the Italian Grand Prix, rumours surfaced that Nyck de Vries would get a permanent seat in the sport in 2023. On Friday night, AlphaTauri announced that the Dutchman will become Yuki Tsunoda's new teammate next season. Team boss Franz Tost says the result at Monza had a big influence on the team's choice.
In the FIA press conference Tost is asked why he chose De Vries as Pierre Gasly's replacement. "Because he's fast. I know his history. I saw him in karting, he won, I think it was 2010 and ’11, the European and the World Championship in karting, and then he was really successful." De Vries has built up quite a CV. Tost also mentioned the Dutchman's success in Formula Renault, GP3, Formula 2 and Formula E.
Race debut De Vries had major impact on his contract
De Vries unexpectedly made his Formula 1 racing debut in Italy when Alexander Albon was stricken with appendicitis. The 27-year-old driver left a good impression as he finished ninth in the race for Williams and took home two points. "This had a great influence because it showed his potential. He drove a fantastic race, did not make any mistakes. And therefore, it was an easy decision to take him."
De Vries has already gained a lot of experience in the new F1 cars this season. Besides the race in Monza, the Dutchman has also been in action several times during practice sessions. Tost says it is unlikely that De Vries will also drive a first practice session for AlphaTauri, as he still has a contract with another team. "I hope that we can see him in Abu Dhabi in the Young Driver Test."