Former F1 driver thinks De Vries' dismissal is justified: 'Waste of time'

Former F1 driver Phillipe Alliot fully understands Nyck de Vries' dismissal. According to the Frenchman, keeping the Dutchman on board longer would have been a pure waste of time, he told Auto Hebdo.

The former McLaren driver himself drove in 119 Grands Prix between 1984 and 1994. Back then, the experience for rookies was different, he says: "Back then, we didn't have simulators, so as a rookie, you had to figure everything out on the track yourself." According to the Frenchman, when he was driving, drivers were also given six months to prove themselves. Therefore, he calls the fact that De Vries was given the same opportunity "generous".

"He did not surprise me once," says Alliot. "Your teammate is your first competitor. You don't have to beat him right away in the race, but over one lap, you have to be able to get there quickly, and he didn't do that." According to the former driver, the dismissal was, therefore, justified. "If you can't prove yourself during qualifying, it's just a pure waste of time to keep someone on."