Budding Formula 1 racer Nyck De Vries has been labelled a ‘f***ing idiot’ by former F1 star Pascal Wehrlein.
De Vries is currently operating as a Mercedes reserve driver, backing up British duo Lewis Hamilton and George Russell. Wehrlein was furious with the Dutchman after the pair confronted one another following their collision at Saturday’s Formula E Seoul Grand Prix on Sunday.
The duo came together at Turn 1 as they battled for P13, and Wehrlein called De Vries out for his actions. The German-Mauritian was forced to pit at the end of the lap as a result but De Vries was left with suspension damage and a puncture, ultimately forcing him to later retire from the race.
Wehrlein was furious and raged over the radio, with the Porsche star labelling De Vries a ‘f***ing idiot’. He also said: “I hope he doesn’t get to F1!”
The 27-year-old entered 39 races in F1 with Manor and Sauber between 2016 and 2017, so he knows what it takes to survive in the sport. Wehrlein is clearly not interested in De Vries receiving an opportunity to prove himself in the sport.
De Vries is one of two reserve drivers for Mercedes, sharing the role with new Formula E world champion Stoffel Vandoorne. Should Hamilton or Russell not be able to race, one of the two men will stand in for the octuple world champions.
He has driven in free practice sessions for both Williams and Mercedes this season, fuelling rumours that he could be set to replace Nicholas Latifi at the British team for 2023. As it stands though, De Vries is set to remain in Formula E next season with a move to the Maserati programme that’s taking over the current Venturi team.
Do you think Nyck De Vries will make it into F1? Let us know in the comments section.
The stewards clearly sympathised with Wehrlein, awarding De Vries a five-second retrospective penalty despite his retirement from the race. The Dutchman refused to comment too much on the incident after the racing, saying: “What can I say?
“Everyone is allowed to say what they want to say. Everyone is making a big deal of it but I don’t know.”
De Vries claimed the Formula E championship in 2021 and he looked for a route into F1 ahead of the 2022 season, but the competition for a seat on the grid meant his efforts were spurned. However, misdemeanours and misfortune on the track saw him slip down the Drivers’ Standings to finish a disappointing ninth.
The 22-race F1 2022 campaign continues with the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps on August 28 after the four-week summer break.
