What would you do first to set yourself apart from others if you were young and wanted to reach the pinnacle of your career? It’s to hone your abilities and improve your physique. An athlete’s performance could stand out owing to a proper fitness schedule. And it appears that the F1 rookie, Nyck de Vries, has made a decision regarding who to follow before making a strong debut in the most competitive form of motorsport.

De Vries’s story is one of unwavering tenacity and optimism. Despite winning the F2 championship, he was unable to secure a seat in F1. He entered Formula E, although his focus was always on the F1 championship. De Vries has had to search long and hard for an F1 drive. Besides, he has participated in both official and unofficial sessions over the past year or so for five different F1 teams. But it appears that the time has come to seize the opportunity and embark on a career in which there will be no turning back.

The 27-year-old must have learned what it takes to be a top driver in the highest division of motorsport while working with Mercedes as a reserve driver before he was given a seat at the AlphaTauri. The F1 rookie has picked Max Verstappen as his role model, who has won two titles thanks to his brilliant work ethic.

De Vries told De Telegraaf, “I am 1.68 meters tall and weigh 58 kilograms. I can be very strong in proportion, but I really need to be able to hit the same levels as someone who weighs almost 80 kilos. So in proportion, I have to be fitter and stronger than someone like Max (Verstappen, ed.), I have to get the same lung capacity as those guys.” [Translated using Google]

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The Dutchman unexpectedly got to drive an F1 car more than once in 2022, when it had previously seemed as though he had outgrown the sport. In fact, he broke a record by competing for five different teams in a season: Mercedes, Aston Martin, Williams, Alpine, and AlphaTauri.

His exceptional performance at the Italian GP impressed the Williams’ boss so much that in the post-race interview he went ecstatic.

The moment when Nyck de Vries’ outstanding performance impressed Williams’ boss

Nyck de Vries seized the chance to race for Williams after British-Thai driver Alex Albon was forced to miss racing due to appendicitis. He surprised Williams boss Jost Capito on his F1 debut by earning two points and finishing P9 ahead of the team’s second driver Nicholas Latifi.

As reported by formule1.nl, in the post-race interview, Capito was giddy about de Vries’ performance. He said, “It doesn’t surprise me that Nyck has done so well. I value him very highly, which is why I expect a lot from him. But he has exceeded expectations.”

“Nyck had to defend, attack, watch the tires, make pit stops… Besides, there are so many buttons on the steering wheel: that is all quite a bit to absorb.” [Translated using Google]

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It will be fascinating to see what Nyck de Vries offers Formula 1 fans. Can the Dutchman, like his countryman Max Verstappen, show off his racing prowess on the track?