Nyck de Vries took to social media on Wednesday to convey his thoughts after losing his AlphaTauri seat to Daniel Ricciardo, admitting that the abrupt end to his F1 opportunity "hurts".
De Vries was ousted after just ten races with AlphaTauri after failing to improve on his early season form.
The Dutchman achieved his best qualifying and race result with the Faenza squad in Monaco where his lined up 12th on the grid and finished in the same spot.
His inability to outpace teammate Yuki Tsunoda more regularly was a clear indication of his lack of progress although the gap between the two drivers in qualifying had tightened lately.
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Earlier this week, inflammatory comments attributed to de Vries and criticizing Red Bull emerged on the internet. In his post on social media, the 28-year-old made clear that those comments were false as he had not spoken to any media since his F1 exit.
"A short note from me… After recent events, I decided to take some time for myself away from social media, which I will continue to do," De Vries wrote on Instagram.
"I would like to thank Red Bull and Scuderia AlphaTauri for the opportunity to live my dream. Of course, it hurts that the F1 chance I dreamed of for so long ended prematurely.
"But life is not a destination, it’s a journey, and sometimes you have to take the hard road to get where you want to be.
"I am grateful for our privileged lives, proud of our journey and my family. This is just another experience; we move on and look forward to the next chapter.
"Thank you to everyone for your kind and encouraging messages in the past week. It’s been heart-warming to feel your support.
"PS: I received some interesting articles about things I’ve said in the last week. For clarity, I haven’t spoken to any media and for the time being I’ll enjoy some me time. Wishing you all a nice summer."
De Vries' comments and his gratitude towards Red Bull speak to the significance that an opportunity to compete among motorsport's elite holds in the life of a driver.
The disappointment and pain he expresses highlight the intense emotional investment that comes with the pursuit of a career in motorsport.
While setbacks and premature endings can be disheartening, it is essential for a driver to remember that such experiences often serve as valuable lessons and stepping stones for growth.
Nyck de Vries' words remind us of the highs and lows that come with the world of Formula 1, where perseverance and determination are necessary attributes to navigate the challenges and forge ahead towards even greater achievements in the future.
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