After Nyck de Vries’ recent departure from AlphaTauri, Mercedes F1 engineering director Andrew Shovlin expressed the team’s openness to welcoming back the talented Dutchman in a reserve role.
De Vries, who claimed victory in the FIA Formula 1 Championship in 2019 and the FIA Formula E world title in 2021, has a remarkable racing pedigree, making him a sought-after prospect in various motorsport series.
Between 2020 and 2021, de Vries served as a reserve and development driver for Mercedes, gaining valuable experience and familiarity with the team’s operations.
Despite their willingness to re-establish a working relationship, Shovlin acknowledged that de Vries is likely to be offered a full racing programme in another category, given his impressive track record.
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Nissan, the prominent Formula E team, has already expressed interest in securing the services of the 28-year-old talent for their electric racing outfit.
Additionally, rumors suggest that Toyota Gazoo Racing is considering de Vries for their World Endurance Championship (WEC) squad.
These opportunities provide de Vries with the chance to continue his racing journey and compete in highly competitive series.
“I think Nyck will be looking for more than just to become a simulator driver, so he’ll want to be doing racing,” commented Shovlin during an interview in Hungary.
“He was certainly very useful for us in that role and we would be welcome to get him back in that role.
“But I suspect his focus will be on finding race seats.
“If it’s not in Formula 1, in some other big and competitive series.
“He’s clearly very talented: an F2 champion, a Formula E champion, which is a very difficult series to win.
“He’ll be looking back to get into a winning seat again.”
Earlier this month, de Vries ended his radio silence by posting a reflective message on social media, where he candidly admitted that his exit from Formula 1 “hurt.”
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Nevertheless, the determined Dutch driver remains optimistic about his future in motorsport, stating, “But life is not a destination, it’s a journey, and sometimes you have to take the hard road to get where you want to be.”
De Vries’ time with AlphaTauri, lasting for ten races, did not meet the team’s expectations, leading to his departure.
However, his previous successes in Formula 1 and Formula E have showcased his exceptional talent, making him an attractive prospect for many teams seeking a competitive edge.