After an impressive one-off, debut with Williams last season, De Vries finally secured a full-time driver with Red Bull’s sister team AlphaTauri for 2023 after years on the sidelines.
However, after just 10 races his F1 career looks to be over with Daniel Ricciardo replacing him following a series of underwhelming performances.
Many are excited to see the popular Aussie return to the grid but there is also plenty of sympathy for De Vries over the manner in which he was axed, with AlphaTauri barely acknowledging the 28-year-old in their statement.
The head of Red Bull’s driver development programme Helmut Marko was also typically blunt and harsh when explaining the reasons why he made the decision to get rid of him.
Vettel was one of the earliest members of the Red Bull programme, rising through the ranks with AlphaTauri, when they were known as Toro Rosso, before being promoted to the senior team and becoming their first world champion.
The German won four straight titles with the team from 2010 to 2013, later taking in spells at Ferrari and Aston Martin, before retiring from the sport last year.
He knows just how cut throat the Red Bull system is and such understands DE Vries’ plight, telling ITV: ‘I have to be honest, it’s obviously a shame for Nyck.
‘The way it came to an end. I think he got given a great chance, maybe things didn’t happen for him the way he expected or people expected but it’s also a bit harsh when it comes to a very sudden stop. It’s brutal.
‘I met him last year for the first time and he seemed like a really good person and he is a good driver. He won the F2 championship, he won international championships so he’s well recognised and I hope that this doesn’t put a dent in his confidence.
‘So that’s why people shouldn’t look at [his AlphaTauri career only] because people tend to do that and that’s not right. So I have to also sympathise with the fact that you know, it’s very harsh for him and I hope that people don’t [just] see that.
‘Maybe those five, 10 races whatever didn’t go according to how good they could have been. We don’t know why, first of all from the outside and second he is still a very good driver.’
Vettel was also happy to see his former teammate Ricciardo back on the grid and had in fact met with the 34-year-old at the Silverstone test last Monday that ultimately helped him get back on the grid.
The 53-time race winner added: ‘I’m very happy for Daniel. Very happy. I like him.
‘Obviously I’ve raced with them and I met him at the test when I was shaking down the McLaren for this weekend [the Goodwood Festival of Speed].’
The 2023 F1 season continues with Hungarian Grand Prix on the 23rd July.
MORE : Daniel Ricciardo breaks silence on F1 return and confirms he’s targeting Red Bull seat
MORE : Red Bull ‘approach Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc’ amid search for new Max Verstappen teammate
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