F1 News: Former Champion Speaks Out On Nyck De Vries' "Brutal" AlphaTauri Exit

Sebastian Vettel has spoken out on Nyck de Vries' exit from AlphaTauri.

Four-time F1 champion Sebastian Vettel has spoken out on Nyck de Vries' shock exit from AlphaTauri during the Goodwood Festival Of Speed weekend.

The recently retired German driver voiced concerns about the impact of this dismissal on De Vries' career trajectory. The Dutchman had only raced in ten grand prix weekends of his rookie F1 season, leading many to feel his abrupt firing from the team was far too early. 

In a statement quoted by ITV during the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, Vettel reflected on the abruptness of the situation. He commented:

"The way it came to an end. I think he got given a great chance, maybe things didn’t happen for him the way he expected or people expected but it’s also a bit harsh when it comes to a very sudden stop. It’s brutal."

Having met De Vries for the first time the previous year, Vettel commended his character and driving skills. He emphasised De Vries' commendable career, saying:

"I met him last year for the first time and he seemed like a really good person and he is a good driver. He won the F2 championship, he won international championships so he’s well recognised and I hope that this doesn’t put a dent in his confidence.

"So that’s why people shouldn’t look at [his AlphaTauri career only] because people tend to do that and that’s not right."

There had been rumours of his dismissal for some time as he struggled to score points throughout the first ten races of the 2023 season. Names such as Alex Palou popped up as potential successors post the IndyCar season as well as Red Bull's junior driver Liam Lawson. However, in the end, the seat went to Australian eight-time grand prix winner Daniel Ricciardo.