Nyck de Vries vowed to prove Helmut Marko wrong after the Red Bull adviser admitted signing him for AlphaTauri may have been a mistake.
The Red Bull sister team signed the Dutchman to replace Pierre Gasly, who was leaving for Alpine. De Vries had thrust himself into contention after a successful Formula 1 debut, filling in for Alex Albon at Monza last year.
But he wasn't their first choice, as IndyCar racer Colton Herta had been approached only for the FIA to block the move. And AlphaTauri chief Franz Tost wanted Mick Schumacher to fill Gasly's seat.