A champion in Components and Components E, De Vries joined AlphaTauri after excelling final yr in a one-off drive for Williams at Monza, the place he completed ninth whereas deputising for Alex Albon.
Regardless of being an F1 rookie, De Vries’ huge expertise as a Mercedes check driver and a winner in different types of motorsport made him an attractive prospect for AlphaTauri to switch Alpine-bound Pierre Gasly.
However the 28-year-old has thus far struggled with the staff’s underperforming AT04 throughout the primary 5 grands prix, punctuated by a spate of pricey crashes and errors.
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Whereas experiences that De Vries’s future is already underneath risk are believed to be large of the mark, the Dutchman however has to indicate enchancment to cease the stress from constructing.
In line with seven-time grand prix winner Montoya, De Vries deserves extra time after a tricky run of avenue circuits, a few of which De Vries had by no means raced at.
“It is not simple coming into F1, however I believe he simply wants a bit extra time,” Montoya instructed Autosport.
Nyck de Vries, AlphaTauri AT04
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“I believe when he will get again to Europe, to the tracks he is aware of, I believe it may get higher for him.
“The schedule is tough for him as effectively, coming to all these new tracks to start with of the yr, so I believe as soon as we get again to the tracks he is aware of his efficiency ought to get higher.”
When requested if he thinks De Vries will probably be given that point, given F1’s capricious nature and Pink Bull chief Helmut Marko’s notoriously powerful method, two-time Indy 500 winner Montoya replied: “That is the fact of the deal and a part of F1, you have to carry out.
“However nonetheless, he has no less than proven some indicators of excellent performances, so now we have to see a bit in a while and provides him a bit extra time first.”
De Vries and fellow rookie Logan Sargeant are the one drivers left with out factors heading into this weekend’s Monaco GP.
De Vries has outqualified team-mate Yuki Tsunoda simply as soon as and has but to complete forward of the Japanese driver, who claimed the Faenza staff’s solely factors with back-to-back 10th-place finishes in Australia and Azerbaijan.
