Red Bull has long been a launchpad for emerging talent in Formula 1, frequently enough nurturing drivers through its junior team, now more akin to a sister squad. Though, not all of these drivers have enjoyed lengthy careers in the sport. Helmut Marko, a key figure in Red bull’s driver development program, has openly admitted that signing Nyck de Vries was his most important misstep.
when Pierre Gasly departed for Alpine at the close of the 2022 season, Red Bull faced the challenge of filling the vacant seat in its sister team. Rather than promoting one of its junior drivers, the team opted for Nyck de Vries, who had made a strong impression at the 2022 Italian Grand Prix.Stepping in for the unwell Alex Albon, de Vries secured a commendable ninth-place finish.
De Vries joined AlphaTauri for the 2023 season, but his performance failed to meet expectations.His best result was a 12th-place finish at the Monaco Grand Prix. After just ten races, he was replaced by the experienced Daniel Ricciardo. Reflecting on this decision, Marko stated, “My biggest mistake? Without a doubt, it is Nyck de Vries.”
Marko elaborated, “He performed exceptionally well in his debut wiht Williams at Monza. However, once he joined AlphaTauri, he struggled to progress. Despite his impressive track record, including being the FIA F2 and Formula E world champion, our data indicated that Nyck was not the right fit. His attempts to push harder only led to more errors.”
Max Verstappen: A Class Apart
In the same interview, Marko reiterated his belief that max Verstappen surpasses even Sebastian Vettel in terms of talent. “When Vettel left us at the end of 2014, we were on the lookout for a young, promising driver. our choice was Verstappen, and I firmly believe Max is in a league of his own, not just compared to the current competition but also to Seb. He operates on a different level entirely.”
Verstappen’s debut victory for Red Bull came at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix,a race marked by a collision between the Mercedes drivers on the opening lap.Marko reflected on this pivotal moment, “When I decided to back Max, everything fell into place from the start. If I had delayed his promotion and stuck with Ricciardo,perhaps Daniel woudl have clinched a world title. But I have no regrets. I’m pleased I took the gamble on Verstappen and it paid off.”
