Losing AlphaTauri F1 Ride Is a Career 'Death Sentence' for Nyck de Vries

Red Bull's sudden driver change from Nyck de Vries to Daniel Ricciardo is a "death sentence" for de Vries' Formula 1 career.

That is the view of former F1 driver and current pundit Ralf Schumacher, who nonetheless admits that it's "understandable" why team owner Red Bull decided to oust the struggling—and scoreless—Dutch rookie from its junior outfit Alpha Tauri.

"Daniel already knew before the test at Silverstone that if he could perform, he would have the cockpit," said Red Bull consultant Dr. Helmut Marko, who made the ultimate decision to switch drivers in the middle of the season. "He more than survived this pressure situation," he told Sport1.

As for the 28-year-old former Formula E and Formula 2 champion de Vries, however, he did not survive the pressure of his opening half season of Formula 1.

"The decision may even be understandable," former F1 driver Schumacher told Sky Deutschland. "But you also have to say that, in the middle of the season, it's not exactly the finest style from Red Bull."

And he says that while Alpha Tauri can also "certainly afford" a driver change given it is dead-last place standing in the constructors' standings, de Vries' career cannot.

"Of course it's an absolute death sentence for the boy," said Schumacher. "After this, he won't be able to gain a foothold anywhere. That's my opinion."

Schumacher has already been critical of Red Bull's earlier driver decisions, including the call not hire nephew and former Haas driver Mick Schumacher instead of de Vries for the 2023 Alpha Tauri seat.

Mick has also now been overlooked for a second time.

"Mick would have been available," said Ralf Schumacher, "but we've discussed this often enough. For whatever reasons, the decision is made against Mick."

Mick Schumacher, a current Mercedes reserve, is now hoping for another opportunity to test for McLaren, after getting a run in the 2021 car at Portimao recently.