Debate | De Vries will improve enough and also drive F1 in 2024
- GPblog.com
Nyck de Vries has not been overly convincing in his first three Grands Prix in Formula 1. The Dutchman lost out to teammate Yuki Tsunoda in both qualifying and racing in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia each time. Will De Vries improve enough to secure a contract extension?
Is De Vries still settling down?
We have often heard drivers say in the past when switching to a new team: only after the fifth Grand Prix of the season can you judge me on my results. Drivers often need time to acclimatise and do not yet perform at the top of their game in the first months with their new employer.
For now, De Vries cannot really impress. In Australia, he wasted his own chances after a somewhat clumsy move on Esteban Ocon, but it is also fair to say that the Dutchman was not sent out with the best strategy. In the end, Williams driver Logan Sargeant collided with him and put him right at the back of the field.
De Vries does not have a competitive car at his disposal with the AT04, but every driver in Formula 1 knows: your first task is to beat your teammate. The 28-year-old driver is certainly not succeeding in that at the moment, but the season is still early.
Iwasa also aims for F1 seat
For the rookie, the task is to focus on the coming months. In Formula 2, Red Bull junior Ayumu Iwasa may be poised to take over the seat in 2024. The Japanese currently leads the championship, while as a rookie last year, he finished fifth in the final standings. Should Iwasa take De Vries' seat if his good form and the Dutchman's poor form continue? Iwasa cannot drive in Formula 2 for another year, and so that could be a reason for Helmut Marko to promote him to the premier class of motorsport.
Usually, Red Bull takes stock during the summer break and makes a decision around September on who will be in the car in 2024. De Vries will therefore have to improve if he wants to continue driving in Formula 1 next year at AlphaTauri. So, as said, it is still early, but do you still have as much confidence in the capabilities as before the start of the season, or do you think Iawasa will take the AlphaTauri seat in 2024?
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