Daniel Ricciardo to Replace Nyck De Vries?
Image: Scuderia AlphaTauria
The rumours are flying around about the potential of Nyck De Vries being replaced by Daniel Ricciardo at Alpha Tauri. Let’s explore how possible this may be, and whether or not we are going to see the 33-year old Australian fan favorite come back to the F1 grid.
Firstly, let us address the rumours. Daniel Ricciardo recently went to have a seat fitting at Alpha Tauri, and this really set fire to the rumours. Although some look at this as a confirmation of his comeback, it’s not the most surprising news. Seeing as he is the third driver at Red Bull, it means he has the responsibility at some of the Grand Prix’s this year to stand in as the reserve driver. Under the Red Bull umbrella, this is valid for both Red Bull and Alpha Tauri. However, it certainly isn’t out of the realms of possibility.
If De Vries’ performances continue the way that they have been going, this could happen. It is said that Helmut Marko has given De Vries an ultimatum, and that if he does not improve over the next three races, he might lose his seat. The famous pressure cooker environment Red Bull and Alpha Tauri is, and there is notoriously no space for lenience. You either perform, or you’re out.
Image: Motorsport Images
In the first five races, Nyck De Vries has achieved 14th, 14th, 15th, DNF, and 18th. No points on the board, and lots of mistakes. It also doesn’t help him that his teammate Yuki Tsunoda has turned in to one of the most consistent drivers on the grid, bagging himself 11th, 11th, 10th, 10th and 11th. It might not seem like much, but it is showing that the Alpha Tauri, despite being quite a slow car this year, when maximised can be on the outer edges of the points every single race.
On the flipside, there must be given some breathing room for Nyck De Vries who has just joined his first full F1 season. But where does that end? Additionally, De Vries has said that he will bring maturity and experience to the team before joining. The former Formula 2 and Formula E champion has stated that he does not want to be looked at as a rookie, and should therefore not be graded as one either.
When mistakes are made every single race week, the question of if De Vries is the right fit must be asked. Daniel Ricciardo is adored by the Formula 1 community for his big smile and fantastic energy. He had two abysmal years at Mclaren in 2021 and 2022 but should not be judged on his last two years, rather on his merits. An 8x Grand Prix winner who has finished 3rd twice in the F1 World Championship, Ricciardo has been a force to be reckoned with. Having been with the Red Bull outfit for seven years, he is fully integrated in the dynamic and work method that is to be expected.
Image: Reuters
We here at Viasport personally do not think a decision will be made until the summer break. De Vries needs to remind the fans and his team why he is in Formula 1 in the first place, or the likes of Daniel Ricciardo, Liam Lawson, and Ayumu Iwasa will come hunting for his seat.