Wolff hopes for Red Bull seat for De Vries: 'Then we will fight for it'

De Vries bids farewell to the German marque after three years with Mercedes to switch to AlphaTauri. Within the Red Bull programme, De Vries will finally get his chance in Formula 1, having been leaning against the premier class for some time. After an F2 and FE title, it is finally here, but with Mercedes' biggest rival.

Opportunity for De Vries

In the 2019-2020 season, De Vries first competed on behalf of Mercedes' FE team, before also being under contract to the F1 team as a test driver in the 2020 F1 season. This interaction also continued in 2021 and 2022. After his 2021 FE title, De Vries seemed to have a good chance at Williams, but the Grove-based team eventually chose Alexander Albon.

With Mercedes leaving Formula E and F1 doors appearing to be closing, De Vries had already focused on other classes for 2023, until suddenly there came that opportunity at Williams. The Dutchman impressed, spoke to compatriot Max Verstappen and phoned Helmut Marko. The Austrian gasped and brought in De Vries for 2023.

So Mercedes' rival De Vries is going to be snapped up, but Wolff does not mind. Should De Vries ever get the chance at Red Bull, the Mercedes team boss can only be delighted. ''I thought about it. I hope that he stays there, and I hope that he's successful in AlphaTauri. I hope he will be so good to make it into a Red Bull seat one day, because he deserves that. And then we take it like sportsmen, and we fight it out,'' Wolff said opposite SwiatWyscigow.pl.