From the moment you sit down to speak with Nyck de Vries, you can tell he really is raring to go.
It's understandable – he has waited a long time for the opportunity which has now, finally, presented itself. Championship success in both Formula 2 and the all-electric Formula E series were not quite enough to land him a spot on the Formula 1 grid, but a surprise debut in Monza last year and his excellent performance that weekend helped to seal the deal.
And here he is now, in Bahrain, kitted out in AlphaTauri attire and little over a week away from his first race weekend as a full-time F1 driver. Before then, though, are the all-important testing sessions. While his team-mate Yuki Tsunoda was out on track on Thursday morning, De Vries was chatting about this long-awaited chapter of his racing career with Mirror Sport.
We began with a look back at what he has been doing over the winter, but it is clear to see that the future is far more important to the 28-year-old than the past. He muses: "I was thinking the other day, the last race I raced was Monza, so it's been a long time since I last raced and a long time since I knew I would be on the grid this year.
"So there was a long lead-up time. The winter feels like it went by quickly but from the first of January to now feels like quite a long time, so I'm keen and happy to be here and to finally get started."
De Vries has a wealth of experience in other single-seater categories, but F1 really is a different animal. So how have his preparations for the year differed to what he would normally be doing in the weeks and months building up to a Formula E season?
He answers: "I would say the biggest difference in my personal preparation was the physical aspect. Being a good athlete and being fit in Formula 1 is not even a necessity – it's a requirement. I spent my New Year's in Scotland, and from there I went straight to Dubai to meet my trainer. He's based over there.
"We started our pre-season prep and training camp over there. We already did some training blocks in December but that's when we really started to build up a foundation ahead of the season. So just putting a lot more emphasis on the physical preparation has been the biggest difference because the necessity is so much more important.
"In previous years I always enjoyed training and being healthy and fit, but you kind of place your focus and emphasis wherever it's most needed. In previous championships I raced in, especially the last couple of years, they didn't require such a high level of fitness, so I ended up putting a bit more focus on other areas which was mainly managing all the opportunities and trying to keep all the options and opportunities open.
"That was part of the job and, now I'm here, it's all about performance and being ready." De Vries has just one F1 race under his belt – that impressive ninth-placed finish at Monza last year when drafted in by Williams – but has spent much more time than that behind the wheel of an F1 car.
Last year he completed FP1 sessions for several teams including Mercedes, in his capacity as a reserve driver for the Silver Arrows. Several years of being affiliated with Mercedes taught him a great deal that he hopes to be able to take onto the track himself.
Asked if he had learned much from working with Lewis Hamilton, he replies: "Very much so. Every experience is valuable and, I know it might sound like a cliché, but you do learn every day. Obviously, Mercedes has been a very successful team who have been dominating our sport in the past decade.
"Now, Red Bull have now won two consecutive championships, but Mercedes have been very successful in a long stretch and to be able to witness their organisation and how they operate and see how the drivers work with the team, and vice versa, is very interesting.
"I think I've learned a great deal in spending time there, but equally I learned racing in Formula E and endurance racing, LMP2 teams, being part of Toyota – it all contributes to becoming a more complete and better driver."
Not only has De Vries has the pleasure of learning from Hamilton in a professional capacity, but he also has a direct channel to the other current superstar of F1. He and Max Verstappen are very good friends and now both part of the Red Bull stable.
The fact they are flying the flag for the Netherlands this year is also something which connects them. But when asked if he has used that relationship to help settle in better, De Vries says there has been little discussion about racing between them.
"We speak and talk, but not specifically about the sport," he replies. "We speak because we know each other and we text and see each other, but nothing really specific. Just as you stay in touch with friends I guess."
AlphaTauri finished ninth in the constructors' championship in 2022, illustrating what a dismal year it was for a team which had made so much recent progress. A new car is an opportunity for a fresh start for the team this year, but De Vries was cautious about getting hopes up too much.
He wisely explains with a smile: "It's all relative! Even if we feel great, if others have done a better job and they are even quicker, then that means we didn't do good enough. So honestly, it's hard to say. We completed a filming day where Yuki and I had 50km each, so just a handful of laps with different tyres and obviously a lot of aero work for the team.
"Even during this test, it will be tough to get a fine understanding of where you are because, in the midfield, everything is so close. The top group is maybe a bit more obvious but even between them, it's hard to say whether it's Red Bull, Ferrari or Mercedes [on top].
"I guess that counts the same for us in that midfield which is quite dense and very competitive, so until the first couple of races I think it's irrelevant to make clear our expectations in terms of performance. But I understand it's all part of this part of the season!"
