"It’s sometimes just the wrong time or the wrong moment": Max Verstappen sympathizes with Nyck de Vries while backing Red Bull's decision

Max Verstappen recently spoke about Nyck de Vries and how he was sacked from AlphaTauri by the seniors at Red Bull. While the Dutchman is dominating the sport, his compatriot has been struggling in a car that was somewhat tricky to drive. De Vries was simply unable to keep up with his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda. Hence, he was removed and replaced by Daniel Ricciardo.

Speaking about de Vries' departure at the drivers' press conference before the 2023 F1 Hungarian GP, where Sportskeeda was present, Verstappen said:

"Well it's a tough one. But you know, if the decision was anyway, of course, already made, then I don't think it really matters a lot when it happens. But I mean, I think it’s just circumstances."

Max Verstappen praised Nyck de Vries for his experience and talent as a driver. However, he pointed out how difficult the AlphaTauri's F1 car is to drive, which can be tough on a rookie in F1. He said:

"I think we all know that Nyck, you know, he's an incredible driver. He's shown that in every single category. And, you know, when the car's a little bit difficult… And I think anyway, you know, this new generation of cars, when you're a rookie, doesn't matter of course, what age you are or whatever, they are quite difficult, I think, to get on top of. Plus that the car probably is not the most competitive, it all made it a bit harder."

Lastly, Max Verstappen stated how circumstances did not line up properly for de Vries to shine, thereby leading to his removal from the AlphaTauri seat.

"And then I think you just sometimes need these one or two moments where you shine. You know where you maybe get a point or two points and yeah, these kinds of moments they didn't happen. And yeah, then the team wanted to change something. That's also a part of Formula 1, it’s sometimes just the wrong time or the wrong moment when you're there and it doesn't work out for you."

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Former F1 world champion praises Max Verstappen for his dominance

Former F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel recently praised Max Verstappen for the level at which he is operating. The Red Bull driver is comfortably leading the championship and has won six consecutive races.

Speaking about his unwavering consistency, Vettel mentioned Sergio Perez as an example of how a driver can immediately experience a dip in his performance and lose the title race. Speaking at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, he said:

"From the driver’s point of view, you have to give it to him – [Max is] doing an incredible job. He’s an incredible talent, and he’s not doing any mistakes. I mean, Sergio [Perez] is not a bad driver but do you see how quickly things can go wrong?"

As of now, Verstappen is at the top of the drivers' championship table with 255 points, while Sergio Perez is at 156 points.