Mercedes is considering the possibility of bringing back Nyck de Vries to Formula 1 after he was let go from Red Bull and Alpha Tauri.
Before showcasing his talent in a one-off ride with Williams last year, the young Dutch driver, fresh from winning the Formula E championship, held the position of Mercedes’ official reserve driver. However, when Red Bull and Alpha Tauri signed him up for the 2023 season, Mercedes replaced him with Mick Schumacher, who had been released by Haas.
Now that Red Bull has decided to part ways with de Vries after just ten races, speculations have arisen about a potential return to Mercedes. Shortly after learning about his exit from Alpha Tauri, de Vries was spotted having a conversation with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff at a cafe in Monaco.
Andrew Shovlin, Mercedes’ engineering boss, believes that Nyck de Vries will be seeking more than just a simulator driver role. “He’ll want to be racing,” Shovlin said.
Although the two have only communicated through text, de Vries indicated that he will keep Shovlin updated on his plans. While Mercedes would be open to having him back as a simulator driver, it is likely that de Vries will be focused on securing race seats.
“If it’s not in Formula 1, he’ll be looking to get into a winning seat again,” Shovlin added, acknowledging that de Vries would strive for a competitive racing opportunity wherever it may be.
