Nyck de Vries Has the Support of the McLaren Formula E Team Principal to Succeed in Formula 1

Ian James, the head of the McLaren Formula E team, complimented Nyck de Vries for obtaining a spot on the Formula 1 grid for the 2023 campaign.

With the 2023 D1 season, Pierre Gasly has been replaced at AlphaTauri by the Dutchman. He worked for James while he was the Mercedes FE manager during his championship-winning 2020–21 season. The Frenchman has gone to Alpine.

James praised the 27-year-old for landing an F1 seat and stated that AlphaTauri will profit from his hard ethic. He was reported by Autosport as stating the following in an interview:

“It is, in my opinion, fully earned. He was someone we looked at before joining for Season 6 and recognized for his abilities as a team player as well as a driver.”

Nyck de Vries has the support of the McLaren Formula E team principal to succeed in Formula 1

James also emphasized Nyck de Vries’ strong participation and diplomatic manner with every squad he drives for. He stated:

“That strategy will be advantageous to any side Nyck de Vries plays for. He has a way of politely bringing up areas that need improvement while yet stating what has to be stated in a way that doesn’t make people defensive.”

All the F1 teams took notice of Nyck de Vries when he replaced Alex Albon in the 2022 Italian GP and finished P9. He outperformed teammate Nicholas Latifi and pushed a sluggish Williams car to its limits. Nyck de Vries’s performance won him a chance to race in Formula One with Red Bull. They selected the Dutchman to fill the open seat at AlphaTauri.

Ian James thinks that Nyck de Vries’s elevation to Formula One demonstrates the talent in Formula E

Ian James also discussed the enormous talent pool found in Formula E, a division of racing that is typically despised. The Briton, who is eager to watch how Nyck de Vries does in his first full season, believes that the promotion of a Formula E driver to Formula 1 is a significant accomplishment.

James, a Manufacturing Engineer who began his professional career at McLaren Automotive, also noted how the FE engineers and mechanics were on par with those in F1. He stated:

“I can’t wait to watch him dive into his first season and see how Nyck de Vries does. It’s also a great success story for Formula E, in my opinion. And there is another evidence that the caliber of the talent in this paddock is comparable to anything else available.”

It will be fascinating to watch how Nyck de Vries compares to his colleague Yuki Tsunoda. He will be competing in his first full season in F1 in 2023.

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