There are only a few drivers whose rookie season has been so good as to they are being compared to legends of the sport. And those drivers usually go on to secure podium places and victories. Recently, Red Bull sacked Nyck de Vries for underperforming and an absence of improvement. Still, the Dutch rookie has received support from his ex-teammate Yuki Tsunoda because of his expertise on the car’s $150,000 worth part.

One of the reasons for de Vries getting fired was also because of his underperformance compared to Tsunoda. But according to the Japanese driver, he learned a lot from his rookie teammate. And Tsunoda was absolutely stunned at one occasion when de Vries described the performance of the AT04’s $150,000 front wings to the smallest of details.

Tsunoda said, as quoted by Formulpassion, “I’ve never seen a driver like this. Nyck gave very specific directions to the team, describing everything in detail. And I can understand why he has had such positive results in his career.” The Japanese driver even compared de Vries’ to the late Niki Lauda.

He said, “I was struck on the last day of testing, in Abu Dhabi. He described the front wing’s behavior in corners, guessing its behavior and the type of design the team was working on. I just saw the movie Rush, and I saw that Niki Lauda gave very good feedback on the car. Nyck is probably a Niki Lauda.“

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And it is not just Tsunoda who’s praised de Vries. Even 7-time Champion Lewis Hamilton had sympathy for the rookie who fell prey to Red Bull’s ruthlessness.

Lewis Hamilton Backs “Poor” Nyck de Vries After Brutal Sacking By Red Bull

Lewis Hamilton is one such personality in the sport that never holds back from putting his opinions and views forward. However harsh the truth may be, he is an advocate of it. In the aftermath of Red Bull’s decision to sack de Vries, Hamilton too has slammed Red Bull for their unfair decision.

“I was surprised to see the decision they took for poor Nyck,” said Hamilton, as quoted by the Independent. “He is such a talented young man and a nice guy. The future is bright for him and there will be opportunities for the future. But that is how Red Bull do it.”

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Judging by the comments of fellow drivers, one thing is for sure – If Nyck de Vries was given a bit more time to get accustomed to the car, he could have changed the way it functions. After all, he has won a Formula E season. So, that experience would have translated into good insights for the team.