Mercedes is pleased with Nyck de Vries’ progress but admits they could ‘let him go’ if he fails to land the F1 seat
Nyck de Vries is the defending Formula E champion while he has also won the Formula 2 title, but could struggle to secure an F1 seat in 2023 with few options available; Lewis Hamilton “coaches” the Dutchman on a training trip for Mercedes at the French GP
Last updated: 7/26/22 7:18 pm
Toto Wolff has admitted he is “unable to help” Nyck de Vries in his search for a Formula 1 seat and says Mercedes “may need to let him go”.
De Vries, 27, is a highly regarded driver who has won Formula E and Formula 2 championships, and he had his chance to shine in the Mercedes back-up role at the French GP when replaced Lewis Hamilton in the first practice.
That outing – where De Vries impressed the world champions once again – has many talking about De Vries possibly joining the F1 grid in 2023, with Williams the most obvious candidate for their partnership with Mercedes and the fact that the Dutch have also boosted them this season .
Mercedes boss Wolff is keen to get a chance to put De Vries in the net, just as George Russell was bought as a Mercedes substitute, but admitted to Sky Sports F1: “I really can’t help him.
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
Mercedes reserve driver Nyck de Vries joins the track, as he replaces Lewis Hamilton for first practice ahead of the French GP
“We can’t tell a team to look at him because that’s like interference and then it goes in the opposite direction.”
Wolff also said that without the F1 seat, it might be time to release De Vries, who won the Formula E championship for Mercedes last year.
“I think if we can’t give him an interesting Formula 1 project, in a way we need to let him go,” he said after Friday’s training session.
“He is looking at many different options, sports cars, maybe Formula E, but you must never give up the chance that one day the doors of Formula 1 could open. Today is very exciting. , very good.”
De Vries finished ninth in his first training session at Paul Ricard, just half a second behind Russell.
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
Sky F1’s Ted Kravitz reflects all the highlights from the French GP
His efforts have earned him praise from Hamilton, who watched from the garage and, as Wolff revealed, coached De Vries along the way.
“I was a little confused because I walked in there and he took my seat,” said Hamilton’s Wolff, who was watching in the garage. “I thought, why aren’t you in the car!
“It was interesting because he coached Nyck, he helped him with the overlays. It was exciting.”
