If you have been keeping up to date with F1 races, you might have heard about Nyck de Vries. He is certainly not a new name in the racing sector, having already won Formula E World Championship and Formula 2 Championship. So what is the next step for this rising motorsports star? You guessed it right, it's Formula One.
Vries has already shown quite a potential in Formula 1 too. He has been serving as a reserve driver for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team since the 2020/2021 season. Moreover, after the absence of Alex Albon due to his appendicitis surgery, he got the opportunity to race in F1 with Williams. What's more, Nyck finished in the ninth position in his debut race.
Now, this has made Vries the most sought-after driver among the F1 racing teams. So, who will he end up with, and which teams are his options; let's find out in this article.
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Williams Provided Vries His First F1 Seat
While Red Bull and AlphaTauri have one of the biggest junior driver programs in the sport, Williams has also given many young drivers a chance to showcase their talent. The Dutch racer had impressed Williams with his skills in Spanish Grand Prix practice in the early 2022 season. So, when Albon was unable to compete, Nyck was the best option for the team.
The Dutchman certainly didn't disappoint as he finished in the top 10 and scored two points to Williams. Fans also elected him as the Driver of the Day. Furthermore, it has been reported that the F1 team has been interested in recruiting Vries in place of Nicholas Latifi, who is set to leave at the end of the 2022 season. The latter finished in the 15th position in the same race.
So, will we see Williams giving Nyck an F1 seat? He might get another chance behind the wheel if Alex doesn't recover in time to compete in Singapore.
AlphaTauri Is Reportedly Close To Signing Him
Williams is not the only one with their sights set on the former Formula E champ. AlphaTauri has also turned their attention towards him. Vries confirmed having met Helmut Marko in September 2022 in Austria. In addition, AlphaTauri was reportedly very close to signing him.
Red Bull had been looking forward to bringing Colton Herta to F1. Since he doesn't qualify for a super license, the team is searching for suitable recruitment. And with Nyck's fantastic F1 maiden results, he has come under their radar. Though he confirmed his meeting with Marko, de Vries is yet to reveal whether AlphaTauri will be his next destination in the quest for the 2023 F1 Grid.
Selected To Test For Alpine
Another option for the Netherlands-born racer is Alpine. The team is in dire need of a driver to pair up with Esteban Ocon for the 2023 season, considering Fernando Alonso has decided to move to Aston Martin and Oscar Piastri is set to make his F1 debut with McLaren.
Alpine will be one of the best options for Nyck, as they are among the best racing teams in F1. He revealed that he had been in contact with Alpine since July and is set to test for them in Budapest in late September. He will be joining three other drivers, Antonio Giovinazzi, Jack Doohan, and Colton Herta.
As de Vries has become one of the most sought-after drivers on the grid, Alpine is reportedly keen on recruiting him to partner with Esteban Ocon. So, there you go, Nyck currently has three options for a race seat in 2023, i.e., Alpine, AlphaTauri, and Williams. So, which team will he choose?
Nyck de Vries reportedly has been shortlisted by Alpine, Williams, and AlphaTauri for the 2023 F1 season. Photo Source: Nyck de Vries' Instagram.
In regard to the matter, the 2019 F2 champ revealed that he has been in contact with all three teams. However, he disclosed how he wasn't in a luxurious situation to choose, and the matter is beyond his control. Nyck also shared that among three F1 teams, he has been in talks with Williams the longest, and it would be a logical step for him to join them if he got the opportunity.
All in all, Nyck de Vries is likely going to be in the 2023 F1 Grid. He has already impressed three F1 teams with his racing skills and has also earned a chance of a race seat from them. We will have to wait and see which team he will decide on in the upcoming days. Nevertheless, our best wishes are with the Formula racer.
