Nyck de Vries relies on ‘older brother’ Max Verstappen’s support as F1 debut falls short of expectations

Nyck de Vries shares his strategy for handling pressure in his F1 career this summer.

Nyck de Vries relies on ‘older brother’ Max Verstappen’s support as F1 debut falls short of expectations

Nyck de Vries and Max Verstappen (Image credit: F1)

After impressing at the 2022 Italian GP, Nyck de Vries earned a chance to debut in Formula 1 with AlphaTauri in 2023. Winter testing garnered positive feedback, heightening expectations. However, his performance has since failed to meet the initial high hopes. However, Nyck finds comfort in confiding in his “older brother” Max Verstappen, three years his senior, to address his underperformance in the current F1 season.

Nyck de Vries told the media that he feels supported and confident with a group that includes Max Verstappen. He also mentioned that they have known each other since childhood, and their relationship is like that of an older brother in the racing community. The Dutchman also emphasized their strong mutual respect.

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“I feel I have good people around me. I feel confident and supported,” De Vries said. “We’ve known each other since we were eight years old. That relationship has always been great. As I said earlier, he feels like an older brother in this paddock,” he added.

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Also read: “It makes no sense,” Nyck De Vries blasts his doubters, says he is only concerned with showing his ‘best version’ in F1

Nyck de Vries’s winning formula for handling pressure amidst replacement speculations

AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries (Image credit: Racingnews365)

Under scrutiny, Nyck de Vries reveals how he handles the pressure of his F1 career this summer. Struggling for pace and consistency since his AlphaTauri debut, the former Formula E Champion faces rumors of a limited timeframe. Red Bull may decide to continue or replace him after a handful of races leading up to the summer break.

When questioned about any indications of a deadline from Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko or AlphaTauri’s Franz Tost, De Vries responded straightforwardly, stating, “[It’s] business as usual.” Regarding how he handles pressure outside of the racetrack, De Vries shared with the media that he has taken up golf. He acknowledged that pressure is ever-present and has always considered it relative.

“Yeah, I mean, there is always pressure and I’ve always said that pressure is relative,” he explained. “Recently, I’ve been trying to pick up golf again, because I used to play a little bit when I was at home and I can put all my frustration in the grass,” said De Vries.

After qualifying last for the main race at the Austrian Grand Prix, Nyck De Vries finished in P17. Being last in the drivers’ championship, Nyck de Vries has yet to score points in this year’s F1 season. AlphaTauri is currently P10 in the constructors’ championship, with 2 points scored by teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

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