F1 Reject Nyck de Vries Gets Second Lease of Life as Motorsport Future Includes Fellow Paddock Pariah

Down but not out, Nyck de Vries is back! We all know once you are publicly humiliated on a platform as big as Formula 1, it is difficult to bounce back. F1 is, if not the biggest, one of the biggest motorsports competitions in the world. Failing to prove yourself in F1 can close many doors. However, not for ex-AlphaTauri man Nyck de Vries.

The Dutchman has bounced back and got himself a seat in the world of motorsport once again. In fact, he will be racing on similar pastures, having been part of the series after his final F2 championship-winning season. Without further ado, let us tell you all about it.

From the world of F1 speed to the world of endurance, Nyck de Vries is back on track

The Dutchman is joining the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) once again. He became a race winner in the series back in 2018, with Racing Team Nederland competing in the LMP2 class. He, in fact, was part of the team that Nederland’s first win in class by driving the car over the finish line in the 6 hours of Fuji in October.

Now, in his latest excursion in the series, coming a full circle, de Vries has joined the team he tested for back in 2020. As per a report on X by FormulaRacers, the Dutchman has signed for Toyota Gazoo for the 2024 season. He will be driving the #7 car alongside Mike Conway and Kamui Kobayashi.

Kobayashi, as some might recall, is the Japanese driver who drove in F1 for Toyota and Sauber between 2007 to 2012, with a brief return in 2014. The 37-year-old is not only a podium finisher in F1 but has also won the 24 Hours of LeMans and the WEC on two occasions. Talk about a second lease on life.

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Despite his ill-treatment in F1, which the fans were surely not happy about, de Vries always kept a positive outlook. The outlook comes from a strong mentality which he showcased when was still part of the circus.

Nyck de Vries showcases his strong mentality weeks before his AlphaTauri ousting

It’s not like de Vries had not suffered ‘failure’ in the past. Despite winning the F2 championship, the Dutchman could not secure a seat in the premier class, F1. This is when he embarked on his journey of testing other waters. So after being around the block, when his delayed debut in F1 came along, he was already well acquainted with the expectations surrounding him. He showcased that with his reply to Helmut Marko’s dissatisfaction while he was still driving for AlphaTauri.

Nyck de Vries said, “I think Dr Marko will appreciate it if I can prove him wrong. That’s up to me. This is also part of Formula 1. It’s all about performance, that’s not from today or yesterday. That’s how it works in this world and I’m prepared for that too. So it’s no surprise in that regard. It’s my job to do the best I can on the track, again this weekend. That’s what I focus on. That’s the only thing I can influence.”

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Now de Vries has already given us insight into his strong mentality. We hope he can use it to find his feet in the WEC.