Former AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries has expressed his discontent and surprise regarding his sudden departure from the team.
De Vries, who had become a pawn in the Red Bull musical chairs, took aim at the decision makers while revealing an explosive detail about his contract.
“In fact, it took me completely by surprise. I wasn’t expecting it,” the 28-year-old driver said.
He continued, “I signed a multi-year contract and was promised the second Red Bull seat in 2025!”
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To shed light on the reasons behind de Vries’ abrupt departure, Red Bull’s Motorsport Manager, Helmut Marko, provided an explanation.
While Daniel Ricciardo’s performance played a role in the decision, it was not the primary factor.
The transition from de Vries to Ricciardo happened swiftly, taking only a matter of hours to finalise.
However, it had been evident for some time that de Vries was struggling to deliver satisfactory results and consistently lagging behind his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Marko revealed that de Vries had been grappling with a crisis, prompting the need for action despite two races remaining before the summer break.
“What is the point of two more races if there is no improvement? Nyck is a nice guy, but he didn’t have the speed,” explained Marko in an interview with ‘De Telegraaf.’
Even without Ricciardo’s impressive test performance, the decision to make a change at AlphaTauri would have been deemed necessary.
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The Australian driver, alongside Tsunoda, now carries the responsibility of revitalising the struggling Scuderia AlphaTauri.
While Marko refrained from commenting on whether this move could potentially challenge Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull in the near future, the focus now shifts to Ricciardo.
The Australian driver must prove himself against Tsunoda, as Marko believes the Japanese driver is being underestimated, highlighting the competitiveness within the team.