AlphaTauri’s Nyck de Vries responds to harsh criticism from Christian Horner

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It’s been a tough Formula 1 season for AlphaTauri driver Nyck de Vries as he finds himself under scrutiny for his lack of competitiveness and a string of unfortunate mistakes.

The spotlight on his performance prompted Red Bull motorsport adviser Helmut Marko to publicly criticize De Vries.

Marko revealed that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was against signing the Dutchman, with Marko doubling down saying: “I would say at the moment it looks like he is right.”

However, the determined driver is eager to prove his critics wrong and let his results do the talking.

Speaking to Austrian media on Thursday, De Vries responded to Marko’s comments, expressing his desire to demonstrate his abilities. “I think Dr. Marko would appreciate it if I proved him wrong on track,” De Vries said confidently.

“That’s all I feel about it and it’s in my control. So that’s it.”

READ MORE: Christian Horner: Red Bull powerhouse and Drive to Survive star

De Vries is the only driver alongside Logan Sergeant who has yet to score points in the 2023 F1 season

Despite the pressure, De Vries stressed the importance of maintaining a balanced approach and not forcing results. He thinks pushing too hard or trying to rush progress can lead to mistakes.

“Yes, but also, there is no need to force anything,” he explained.

“I think every time you try harder or try to force something that’s not ready, it’s not going to happen, and mistakes will happen.

“So I think the key is to continue as we are and to continue to focus on the work, to remain patient, and then I think the potential is there, so it’s only a matter of time that things are falling into place.”

Acknowledging his own shortcomings in performance, the 28-year-old acknowledged the challenges his side face and the competitiveness of the midfield. He believes that small errors can have a significant impact on results in such a contested field.

“I think personally I haven’t done a good enough job,” De Vries admitted.

“As a team we also struggled a bit. It just shows that the midfield is very close. Basically, from P11 to P20, everything is so close that when you’re not executing a good weekend, it immediately puts you on your back foot.”

Nevertheless, De Vries remains optimistic about the future and is confident that he and the team will bounce back.

“I’m sure we’ll get back to where we were before, but we have to make sure as a team that we stay on top of everything, and obviously I have to do my job as well,” he concluded.

While De Vries may be limited by AlphaTauri’s poor 2023 car, the AT04, he will have to start gaining ground on teammate Yuki Tsunoda, who has been a class above him this season.

READ MORE: Who is Helmut Marko? The genius behind the rise of Red Bull

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