Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion, didn’t hold back as he took a swipe at Red Bull’s handling of drivers in the wake of Nyck de Vries’ sudden departure from AlphaTauri.
The Dutchman’s unceremonious axing occurred after just 10 races into the season, following a challenging start where he faced criticism for his performance compared to his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda.
Speaking to various media outlets, including RacingNews365, Hamilton expressed his surprise and disappointment over the decision to dismiss Nyck de Vries.
“I was definitely surprised to see the decision made to sack poor Nyck, said Hamilton.
“He’s such a talented young man and such a nice guy as well, so I think the future’s still bright for him with lots of great options.”
“That’s how Red Bull works.”
Having worked closely with De Vries during his tenure as Mercedes’ reserve driver over the past two seasons, Hamilton showered praise on the talented young driver, describing him as not only highly skilled but also a genuinely nice person.
He further emphasized that he believes De Vries still has a bright future ahead with numerous attractive options in the motorsport world.
Red Bull and its sister team, AlphaTauri, have gained a reputation for their ruthless approach to managing drivers. This recent incident involving Nyck de Vries is not the first of its kind. Over the past decade, both teams have seen a revolving door of drivers, with mid-season changes being a common occurrence.
Notably, Pierre Gasly’s short-lived stint with the main Red Bull team in 2019 and Alex Albon’s relatively brief 18-month tenure are prime examples of their cutthroat driver policy.
While Hamilton’s words have caused a stir, it remains to be seen if they will bring about any changes in the team’s driver management strategy.
