Nyck de Vries will be driving this weekend in Formula E. In Rome, he will be looking to defend his lead in the championship and keep Mercedes' honour high. However, his connection with Mercedes is not limited to his work as a factory driver in Formula E.
Even when the Dutchman is watching Formula 1, he says he is mainly in favour of his employer, even though Max Verstappen is doing so well. "In the end, I have to cheer for my employer", he says in an interview with the NOS.
Respect for mentality at Mercedes
De Vries does not only say this to please his boss but is also sincerely impressed by the working method and passion of the team from Brackley. As a test driver in Abu Dhabi in December, he has seen up close how they deal with losses. Despite years of dominance the cause of one lost race has to be solved and De Vries respects that attitude.
He believes this is also reflected in the difficult start to the 2021 season. "You can see how the team picks up that situation and gets back to where they have always been. Red Bull was fastest in all sessions in Bahrain, but Mercedes just wins the race. There is no saturation, everyone wants to win. I find that mentality very admirable."