F1 News: Insider Reports Nyck De Vries Replacement At AlphaTauri

According to Sky Sports F1 pundit, Ted Kravitz, Nyck de Vries has been handed an ultimatum and his potential replacement has been confirmed.

Dutch driver Nyck de Vries, currently part of the AlphaTauri team, finds himself battling performance issues and subsequent rumours about his potential replacement. 

De Vries started his Formula 1 career in Bahrain earlier this year but has struggled to demonstrate impressive results, leading to speculation about his future with the team. He's now reportedly under increased pressure to prove himself in the next four races.

Sky Sports F1 pundit, Ted Kravitz, highlighted the severity of de Vries' predicament on his 'Ted’s Notebook' segment. He referred to inside sources stating:

“Nyck de Vries, we talk about ‘Drive to Survive’.

“He really is driving to survive. All the bosses will say about this… the rumour that has come out of the Dutch press that Nyck has been told that he’s got the next four races on circuits he knows – here [Austria], Silverstone, Hungary, and Spa to really transform his season.

“Otherwise, he’s out, they’re going to put Liam Lawson in – that’s the rumour that’s coming from the Dutch press.

“Franz Tost was asked directly about this in the pen, and he said ‘it is up to Nyck to make the story go away’.

“If Nyck performs, then this story will go away and he will not be under threat – he will keep the seat for the rest of the season.

“If Nyck does not perform, he wouldn’t continue… he wouldn’t finish the thought. He said Nyck needs to perform. The driver decides for himself, Nyck decides for himself, Franz said.

“If he’s slow, then he is in trouble. If he’s quick, and has performance, then he stays.”

On the Red Bull senior management side, despite their silence, Helmut Marko, the team's motorsport advisor, expressed dissatisfaction with De Vries' performance. Marko has even hinted at Christian Horner’s initial opposition to signing de Vries, which now seems justified.

Meanwhile, de Vries acknowledges the pressure, admitting his current performance is below par. Addressing the speculation, he stated his intention to disprove Marko's doubts on the racetrack:

“I think Dr. Marko would appreciate if I proved him wrong on track. That’s all I kind of feel about it and is within my control. So that’s it.” 

The upcoming races will be a critical juncture for De Vries as he fights to secure his place in the Red Bull-owned team.