Former F1 driver calls Nyck de Vries hype an 'INSULT' to rival

De Vries and Tsunoda — Photo: © LAT Images

Nyck De Vries

Former F1 driver calls De Vries hype an 'INSULT' to rival

Jan Lammers claimed that hype's contribution to De Vries' early departure cannot be ignored

Janice Kusters

Sunday 20 August 2023 17:27

Jan Lammers has spoken out regarding the 'excessive' hype surrounding Nyck de Vries, claiming that this unfair elevation of de Vries' status undervalued his teammate Yuki Tsunoda.

A former Formula 1 driver hailing from the Netherlands, Lammers competed actively from 1979 to 1982, with a brief resurgence in 1992. He was associated with various teams including Shadow, ATS, Ensign, Theodore, and March.

Lammers recently delved into the topic of his compatriot Nyck de Vries and the substantial buzz generated by his entrance into Formula 1, backed by his championships in Formula 2 and Formula E.

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"I have to say that they hyped him [Nyck] up a bit too much in the beginning," he said. "I actually found that to be a bit of an insult to Yuki. Because yeah, Yuki, if you saw how he compared to Gasly, Gasly is also just rock solid - and if Yuki was capable of challenging him, then I wouldn't expect Nyck to have the upper hand right away.”

Tsunoda was capable of challenging Gasly

Unfortunate absence of de Vries on the grid for the Dutch GP

When asked about the ill-timed shift of Alpha Tauri from Nyck de Vries to Daniel Ricciardo, leading to the absence of a second Dutch driver on the starting grid for the Dutch Grand Prix, Lammers offered his perspective.

"I'm not so sentimental about these things, you know? I'm just old school - When you step in the ring and you take on the fight, you have to be ready for it. If you lose, you might come out of it with a black eye and a bit of a bruised ego."

The Dutchman went on to critique the decision-making process behind Nyck's appointment.

"I think whoever appointed him, they should also take a hard look at themselves - they went off on that one incredible performance in Monza. That qualifying was a nice result for a Williams, but I understand that Albon himself was sure that he could have put it on the front row.”

This, according to Lammers, solidifies the notion that the Dutch driver was subject to undue hype, resulting in expectations for his performance that might have been unrealistic, if not unattainable.

Nonetheless, Lammers said the the removal of de Vries from the team both unsurprising and justified.

"I have often said; a striker who's playing football has to score, a goalkeeper just has to stop balls, if you don't then you end up on the bench."