De Vries was sacked by Pink Bull motorsport advisor Helmut Marko final week after a disappointing first half to the 2023 marketing campaign.
His axing is the most recent within the lengthy line of mid-season swaps by Pink Bull, with the Dutchman being changed by Daniel Ricciardo from this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.
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Hamilton, who labored with de Vries when he was a Mercedes reserve driver in 2021 and 2022, made it clear that he felt the transfer to switch him earlier than the summer time break was untimely.
Requested if he felt that de Vries was dropped too early, Hamilton mentioned: “Sure. However that is how Pink Bull do it.”
Pushed on whether or not there was a side of it being how F1 works, in being powerful on rookies, Hamilton added: “You’ll be able to say that is how Pink Bull works.”
Whereas Hamilton felt that Pink Bull’s transfer had been hasty, he maintained religion that de Vries’ racing profession was removed from over regardless of the setback.
“I used to be positively shocked to see the choice for poor Nyck,” mentioned Hamilton.
“He is such a proficient younger man, and such a pleasant man as properly. I believe the longer term continues to be shiny for him and he could have numerous nice choices for the longer term.”
Nyck de Vries, AlphaTauri AT04
Picture by: Pink Bull Content material Pool
De Vries’ exit from F1 has opened a possibility for Ricciardo, whose return is not any shock for Hamilton primarily based on how ingrained he has been in F1 weekends up to now this season.
“He has been right here all 12 months,” mentioned Hamilton. “He is been in each drivers’ briefing this 12 months.
“He was within the drivers’ briefings, however not been really competing, which is uncommon. You do not usually see a reserve driver within the drivers’ briefing, however I believe I am not shocked to see him again.”
De Vries is the most recent driver who has been the sufferer of a mid-season driver shuffle at Pink Bull, though these have usually revolved across the power drink firm’s major crew.
In recent times, Daniil Kvyat misplaced his Pink Bull seat in a swap with Max Verstappen in 2016, whereas Pierre Gasly was swapped for Alex Albon in 2019.
Albon lasted till the top of the 2020 season and moved into a 3rd driver position with Pink Bull earlier than making a profitable racing return with Williams in 2022.