The meaning of success.
Time is up for Nyck de Vries in his Formula 1 career. Just like that.
After he went point-less in the first 11 races of the season, the Red Bull group decided to replace him, effective immediately, with Daniel Ricciardo after seeing some of his potential back during the Silverstone round of testing.
The rookie was deemed to be underperforming, even compared to Logan Sargeant, who also failed to score any points. But let’s face it, Red Bull sets its standards higher than Williams.
Perhaps it was an impulsive decision to bring him to Alpha Tauri after his outstanding performance at Monza in 2022 while driving for Williams, only to cast him aside and not even allow him to finish his first season in F1. A shocker.
Every driver, especially a rookie, faces a steep learning curve. True, De Vries had some advantages in age and experience compared to others, but how much time does it take to see successful results? And more importantly, how is success measured in the first season of an F1 career?
Well, for Red Bull, that’s how it works. You have to succeed, always. Otherwise, you are out.
“If you were to measure success purely by wins or championships, what about all the other years when you’re not winning? Does the rest of your life become a failure or not a success?” — Nyck De Vries
For me, it’s not just a matter of natural skills; it’s a matter of growth. It’s true that Nyck was not performing as expected and improving results, but how does somebody deal with the sport’s natural pressure and all the media speculation that claims even your own team doesn’t consider you good enough?
Red Bull is a team group where there is very little room for mistakes or underperformance. They strive to win always and everywhere, and that mindset may be seen as a winning mentality. But let’s not forget, that mentality often doesn’t understand the meaning of compassion.
It’s true that they give you wings, but then it’s up to you to fly.
De Vries took his seat and his opportunity for now in F1, maybe not even knowing that Silverstone was his last race in the top category. He also lost his seat to someone who was not many months away from a similar position, and that now enters again the Red Bull challenge with nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Formula 1 can be cruel. The highs are very high, and the lows are very low. Nyck de Vries’ journey may have taken an unexpected turn, but his passion for the sport will surely remain in all of us.
Best of luck, Nyck.
