2019 Formula 2 Champion and 2021 Formula E Champion Nyck de Vries is finally set to make a full-time F1 debut next year, as he joins AlphaTauri F1 team. Nyck de Vries is replacing departing Pierre Gasly at Red Bull's ‘B-Team’, and will partner Yuki Tsunoda in AlphaTauri in 2023.
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“After Formula 2, I took a slightly different path with motorsport, but F1 has always been my dream and I’m grateful to be able to fulfil it. I’ve had a lot of chances to experience the 2022 car this year and I think that has put me in a great position for the upcoming season, I hope this has helped to prepare me for what is to come," Nyck de Vries said.
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Nyck de Vries will partner Yuki Tsunoda at AlphaTauri in 2023.
Speaking of his new signing, AlphaTauri Team Principal Franz Tost added, “We are pleased to start a new chapter with Nyck, who’s very much welcome at Scuderia AlphaTauri. He is a very high skilled driver, as he won in all the categories he competed in, with many races and championships under his belt. His last big success was winning the Formula E World Championship, and this is clear evidence that he is a very competitive driver, who deserves a seat in F1."
Nyck de Vries was a Mercedes F1 reserve driver and a Formula E driver for Mercedes-EQ Formula E team in 2022, and enjoyed multiple FP1 outings with the likes of Mercedes, Williams and Aston Martin too, giving him plenty of track time. Nyck made his F1 race debut at the 2022 Italian GP filling in for an unwell Alex Albon, and despite missing out on FP1 & FP2 and only driving for 30 minutes in FP3, de Vries impressed massively by finishing P9 and scoring points on his debut. It will be interesting to see how he does in the Red Bull atmosphere, and if he has a strong showing at AlphaTauri, it is also possible that he will replace Perez at Red Bull in the future, to make an all-Dutch line up at the Red Bull works team.
Nyck de Vries made his F1 debut at the 2022 Italian GP, finishing P9.
With Pierre Gasly confirmed for Alpine for 2023 and beyond, it leaves only 2 seats open in F1, one at Williams and one at Haas. With the likes of Daniel Ricciardo and Nicholas Latifi still without a drive for next year, top 3 Formula 2 drivers Drugowich, Pourchaire and Sargeant still up for grabs, and Mick Schumacher also not confirmed at Haas, it will be interesting to see which drivers fill the last 2 seats.
