Helmut Marko admits signing Nyck de Vries against Christian Horner’s advice might have been a MISTAKE

Nyck de Vries is one of two drivers yet to score points in the 2023 season.

Helmut Marko admits signing Nyck de Vries against Christian Horner’s advice might have been a MISTAKE

Helmut Marko, Christian Horner and Nyck de Vries(Credits: The Guardian, SI and Autoweek)

Nyck de Vries got to drive an F1 car in 2022 at Monza as a reserve driver. He did not disappoint, dragging a backmarker Williams car into the points, impressing the entire paddock. This prompted Helmut Marko to consider the Dutchman for a seat at AlphaTauri, which he secured. However, Nyck de Vries‘ performance at the Italian outfit has been mediocre so far, at best.

Helmut Marko, speaking on the Inside Line F1 podcast, has revealed that Red Bull boss Christian Horner did not share Marko’s enthusiasm about putting the Dutchman in a Red Bull seat. The Briton did not believe in the potential of de Vries at AlphaTauri, which led to a disagreement between himself and the Austrian.

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Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko said, “The team management and the team principal, it’s a common decision. Not often [does he disagree with Christian Horner], but sometimes we do. The last one, I would say, is Nyck de Vries. And at the moment, it looks like he [Christian Horner] was right… He was not a fan of Nyck de Vries.”

Nyck de Vries is facing a challenging period with AlphaTauri, as he is one of only two drivers who have yet to score any points. The team has started to exert pressure on him to enhance his performance, and de Vries has acknowledged that he has made numerous mistakes during the initial stages of his rookie season. Thus, Marko has acknowledged that Christian Horner may have been right about de Vries.

Related: Max Verstappen’s sim racing teammate and IndyCar star Alex Palou might replace Nyck de Vries at AlphaTauri, claims Nelson Piquet Jr.

Nyck de Vries has been extremely inconsistent so far this season

Nyck de Vries ( Credits: Car and Driver)
Nyck de Vries ( Credits: Car and Driver)

Throughout the year, AlphaTauri has faced difficulties with its below-average machinery. In the initial stages of the season, Nyck de Vries has not met expectations and has performed below par, which has raised concerns about the security of his seat within the team. He was reportedly presented with an ultimatum: improve or forfeit his heart to a Red Bull junior.

Although the AlphaTauri rookie showed a slight improvement in his performance for two races, achieving a P12 finish in Monaco and a P14 finish in Spain, he once again struggled in Montreal. An on-track incident resulted in him finishing dead last. He has still been unable to outperform his teammate Yuki Tsunoda. As a result, his position within the team remains uncertain, with ongoing doubts about his future.

Red Bull has a reputation for being notoriously unforgiving regarding their driver lineups, showing little tolerance for underperformance. Suppose the Dutchman continues to deliver poor results. In that case, there is a possibility that he may lose his seat at AlphaTauri even during his rookie season, despite being a former F2 and Formula E champion. Therefore, he must start producing results, beginning with beating his teammate.

With Red Bull reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo in the mix, should de Vries not deliver a solid season from here on out, he could well lose his seat to the Australian, who is ever-determined to get back behind the wheel for 2024.

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