One of the most sought-after drivers in the paddocks now has a permanent place on the grid. Mercedes’ reserve driver and the 2020-21 world champion of the Mercedes Formula E team, de Vries, will join AlphaTauri. The Dutchman will drive for Red Bull’s sister company alongside Yuki Tsunoda for the 2023 season.

However, since he is leaving the Silver Arrow to join the Red Bull family, that might have left a sour taste in Mercedes’s mouth. That’s what most would assume, but it’s clearly not the case. Mike Elliott, the technical director of Mercedes, is happy to see De Vries drive in the premier class next season.

Although Mercedes’s technical director might not be best pleased with where he’s going, but still wishes him well. “It might be a shame to see where he’s going, but it’s no different. I think he deserves this chance. He has shown to be an excellent driver,” he said. (Translated by Google)

Most would also assume being part of the Silver Arrows program for so long, De Vries’s knowledge bank could hurt the Brackley outfit in the future. However, the technical director had an answer for that doubt as well.

“Formula 1 changes so quickly. You learn so quickly. What he did a year ago probably doesn’t even help him now. What he may be more likely to take from us is the way we work together, our processes, and our systems,” he added.

Read More: “Who Knows?”: Not Italian GP Performance, But Dinner Date With Max Verstappen Brought Nyck de Vries Into Red Bull Family

The Dutchman caught all the attention and later the respect of his future peers, with just one outing in an F1 single-seater at Monza. The 27-year-old might be making his debut pretty late in the primer class, but he definitely has the experience.

Unlike most reserve drivers, De Vries is already a mature figure around the paddock.

Nyck de Vries has earned the respect of the Mercedes camp

Speaking further, the Mercedes technical director had nothing but admiration for the Dutchman and wished him well. According to Elliott, De Vries was excellent in his dealings throughout his time at Mercedes.

“It was brilliant to have him in the pit box. He is a very nice guy, really knows what it is all about and understands the car. We wish him success,” he added.

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De Vries is carrying a lot of hype for next season with his powerful performance at the Italian GP. Let’s hope the Formula E world champion can prove himself in Formula 1 as well.